Lost on the Road of Life
by abstractular
Summary: Because life moves at you fast, you have to remember trivial things. This week: A woman's Warmth. There was something seriously wrong with the idea that Sasuke might have issues of Cosmo under his sink, or flowery shampoo in his bathroom. Rated PG
1. A Good Night's Sleep

Title: A Good Night's Sleep

Author: Kendopunk

Rating: K+…or is it T…I don't know.

Summery: "Where is it written that once you start dating and sleeping with a guy…you automatically can't sleep unless they are with you?"

Author's Note: Ah…I have no friggin clue where this came from. So, don't ask. But I've decided to do a bunch of one-shots. None of them have anything to do with each other. So seriously, don't ask. But most of them are going to be romance, friendship, and some action. ENJOY!

Pairings: SasuSaku and NaruHina (always)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Never have. Never will. I do however own this nifty computer that I can post fanfics about the show on! YEY!

…Fifty-seven. Fifty-eight. Fifty-nine. Sixty. Sixty…Oh wait, she already counted that one.

Haruno Sakura growled at the ceiling, where she was counting the invisible sheep that were hopping over the invisible fence in the dark room. She ran a hand through her short rosy hair and her lips became a thin line.

"A forty-eight hour shift and when I finally get some time to sleep…I can't." She grumbled.

It was true. The medic kunoichi had been lying in the top bunk of the waiting room for the past hour, but it was no use. The sandman just didn't seem to like her. Not since…

She groaned and rolled onto her side, then swung her head over the bed, looking down at the bunk below hers, where her friend laid.

"I can't sleep." Sakura broke the silence. "Can you sleep? I can't sleep."

Hyuuga Hinata's long dark hair was thrown on the pillow, surrounding her head like a halo. She had a pale arm thrown over her equally pale eyes in attempt to try and get some sleep. But alas, she seemed to be on the sandman's snub list too.

"No." She replied in her timid, wedding bell voice. "I can't sleep. Not since Naruto-kun left on his mission."

Sakura sighed. "Sasuke too. Damn him! Stupid man with his stupid…large heat generating body. Where is it written that once you start dating and sleeping with a guy…you automatically can't sleep unless they are with you? Cause whoever made that rule, I will gladly kill."

Hinata lifted her arm off her translucent eyes and smiled softly.

"They're supposed to be back tomorrow, Sakura-chan, if it's any help."

"Yeah, I guess." Her green-eyed friend grunted. "But…I mean, come on! I have a surgery to do in an hour! I should at least get something!"

Hinata bit her lip. "I have to make rounds in fifteen minutes."

Sakura sat back up in her cot before falling down onto the pillow once more. She rubbed her temple in aggravation and then a smile lit up her face.

"Hey, Hinata! Maybe…if we hug the pillows tight…and pretend that it's them…we can at least sleep for like…five minutes."

Sakura heard the Byakugan user rustling beneath her and figured she was trying it, so why not do the same? She grabbed her pillow in her arms and rested her head on it, closing her eyes tightly. She tried to imagine that she was back in her and Sasuke's apartment. The one that she had insisted they buy last year because it had the biggest kitchen. She tried to envision the soft mattress of the big bed beneath her, and her warm sheets all around her. Then the sheets would lift up, and she would feel the bed dip down and the warm, oh so very nicely muscled, body of her boyfriend would get in next to her, and she would cuddle up close to him. Because no matter how cold he appeared, the man was a human furnace. She would smile, and brush a kiss against his collarbone as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Then, she would slowly drift to sleep with a happy smile on her face.

…

…

…FREAKING COLD UNCOMFORTABLE PILLOW!

Sakura punched the pillow before throwing it against the wall.

"Didn't work for you either?" The voice chimed from below.

"No." She bit out. "I hate this. I always have trouble sleeping when he's gone."

"Do you think…" Hinata paused and Sakura waited patiently for her to continue. "Do you think that the boys are having the same problem?"

Sakura took this into serious thought. It was totally probable that Naruto was moaning and groaning over Hinata, but highly unlikely that the Uchiha avenger was loosing a wink. He was a big, fat, stupid, pompous ass like that.

"Naruto, yes. Sasuke, not at all."

Little did the Hokage's apprentice know…

This didn't happen.

This simply didn't happen.

Uchiha Sasuke had full control over his body.

He was hungry when he said he was hungry.

He was tired when he said he was tired.

He would sleep when he commanded himself to sleep.

SLEEP DAMN YOU BODY!

But, alas, the sandman didn't really care for Sasuke either tonight. Maybe he was out drinking? Or banging the sandwoman? Or maybe he quit his job?

He turned over in his hammock once more, tugging his ANBU mask over his face in attempt to block out the moon's bright gaze. But unfortunately, he couldn't stop his best friend's voice from plunging into his ears.

"Hey, Teme? Are you awake?"

"If I wasn't, I am now." He replied in his velvet smooth voice.

"I can't sleep." Naruto whined.

Sasuke lifted his mask up over his face and glared at the blond. "So what?"

"So…I can't sleep."

"What the hell do you want me to do about it, sing you a lullaby?"

The Kyuubi vessel's cerulean orbs brightened. "Would you?!"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment before slowly shaking his head and rolling over. He wasn't even going to dignify that with a response.

"Relax teme, I'm kidding. Jeez, lighten up."

"I don't want to lighten up." He growled. "I want to sleep."

"Admit it," He could hear the grin in Naruto's voice, which very nearly made a vain pop in his forehead. "You miss Sakura. You can't sleep with out her."

"I miss my bed."

"Which you share with Sakura."

"I miss my pillows."

"Which is sometimes Sakura."

"I miss the _quiet_."

"…"

Sasuke smirked. Got him.

"…Sakura's quiet."

"Will you kindly shut the hell up?!"

Aah, silence. Sweet silence. Too bad that with Naruto, silence only lasts about three seconds.

"Hey…Sasuke?"

He wouldn't have responded if it weren't for the fact that the blond sounded like he was being serious now.

"Hn?"

"…Are you happy to be going home?"

Sasuke thought for a moment, and for a reason he could never openly admit, a picture of a smiling pink haired girl came to mind.

"Hn."

The next night, Sasuke came out of the bathroom and saw a lump in his bed.

He smiled slightly.

The sheets were pulled up to her chin, and from his view she was just a lump with a patch of hair. She had looked exhausted when he came home that day; the bags under her eyes were horrendous. As soon as he came into view, she had grabbed his hand and pulled him home, waving a tired goodbye to Naruto and Hinata, who were headed in the direction of their home as well.

Sasuke crept towards the bed and lifted the sheets up, sliding in behind her. He slid one arm under her waist and pulled her slumped body to him. Sakura groaned slightly and he raised his other arm to come around her, sliding up her arm to reach the hand that lay limply on the pillow next to her head. He slid his fingers between hers and moved his head so that his nose was buried in her hair.

"Sasuke…" She whimpered tiredly.

"Hn?"

"I missed you."

He paused, silently soaking in her words before nuzzling the nap of her neck with his nose.

"Aa." He murmured. "Me too."

Sakura smiled softly as she felt his strong form relax behind her and she snuggled closer to him before slowly drifting off to a deep slumber.


	2. Just Another Day

Title: Just Another Day.  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: M  
Summery: Blood. Death. Alcohol. Love. Sex. It's all just your average day in the office.  
Author's Note: Naruto Shippuden came out last night!!! This is written in honor of it! Cause the new Naruto kicks ass, as do the new chapters in the Manga.  
Soundtrack: "Johnny You're an Angel" and "Dance with Devils" from the Devil may Cry soundtrack  
Pairings: SasuSaku and NaruHina  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it. Jeez! Now, can you un-cuff me?

Ninja's all dealt with things differently when they feel bad. Sometimes the cause of the depression was a failed mission, a mission that had too much blood, or a mission that succeeded but a comrade was killed. But each Ninja was different in the way that they dealt with their issues. There really was only four ways that you could deal with it.

Spar. Let your anger be released by fighting with a friend, or knocking down a bunch of trees, or breaking things in your house.

Lock yourself up. You separate yourself from others for a while, and wallow in your own self-misery, normally in your home sitting in the dark, or looking at the memorial stone.

Get drunk off your ass. This was the thing that most ninja did, but the bad part of it is that it doesn't help, and it makes your head feel heavy and your heart feel even worse in the morning.

Find someone, and fuck them. Most young ninja did this. The euphoric feel of sex drained away the despair. Well, for a while anyway.

Rock Lee and his role model Gai normally picked the first option, simply because that was the type of people that they were. They were so much alike that it was frightening. So it was rather understood that as soon as either of them came home from a mission, they immediately started their spar. If Lee was the one who was on the mission, it would mostly end where he fell to the ground and started crying. Gai, being the father figure he knew that he was to the young man, would engulf him into his arms, and not say a word, but let his former student weep.

TenTen, Neji, Kurenai, Shino, and Kakashi were all people that chose option two. After a mission Neji wouldn't even look at his teammates. He would walk away, not giving Lee or TenTen a hint of a goodbye. But the female would always find him. TenTen knew that he had a spot in the woods where he would sit in silence, and she would follow him, sitting back to back. They would share each other's pain; silently reassuring each other that this was part of the job description. No tears were shed, they were too disciplined for that. Shino would sit with his bugs to keep him company, they didn't ask questions, and he didn't need to give answers. He liked it better that way. Kurenai and Kakashi used to be the type of people to choose option four. But when tragedy hit both of them in the same way, they couldn't see being with anyone else. So they spent their time at the memorial after missions. Being with the only people that truly understood them. The dead were remarkable that way.

Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Kiba have been drinking buddies for a while now. They would always find one of the four at the bar downing a few shots. Kiba liked bourbon; he liked the way it stung when it slid down his throat. Call him a masochist, but it got his mind off of the crimson that he still managed to see on his hands. Ino and Shikamaru were more of the whiskey type. The little hazy fog that went over their brains was something that they strived for on nights like these. It was the simple pleasure of sliding off the barstool and having Choji wrap his large arm around their waists, reassuring them that he was always the one to take care of them. That's why he didn't get as shit-faced as the other two. Choji was always the reliable one, the softer one, and the guardian of his two slightly more assertive teammates.

Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata were different. They were the only ones of the famous Rookie Nine who chose option number four. It was obvious that they would.

Sasuke cold-hearted Uchiha. That's what he was known as for a while. He was the one who got things done. He always finished the mission no matter the cost. He was sharp, strong, and taciturn. He was the number one ninja to be counted on not to show emotion in missions.

But Sakura knew him better than that. She was the one he went to when the mission got finished, but under horrifying circumstances. Maybe one of their men got tortured, or perished, or maybe he had just killed so many that he didn't know if the blood would ever slither off of his calloused fingers. So at the ends of missions he would leave the Hokage's office, and glance once at Naruto. He was often put on missions with Naruto; they got the mission to a more successful advantage that way. Naruto would nod at his best friend; he always knew where to find him in the morning. Sasuke would waist no time on his way to his flower's home.

He would raise a fist and knock on her front door twice. It would open after a moment, and all she would have to do was look at his face. She would see the way that his mouth was turned down in a frown, see the ghostly white of his face, she would notice the way that his eyes held sadness and a hint of despair.

_Help me._ They pleaded. _Help me forget._

Sakura would reach for his hand, and tug on it a little, just enough for the Uchiha heir to come inside and for the petal-haired girl to close the mahogany door.

Sasuke would act once he heard the door click shut. He would grab her, his fingers wasting no time in working their way under her shirt and sliding along her cotton soft back and belly. He would hungrily capture her lips, and she would slide her hands down his face then let them move into his hair and tug lightly on the dark locks. His tongue would pillage her mouth, desperately finding an escape from the reality that was waiting outside the small apartment. Her shirt would be the first to go, and then his pants. As they made their way into the bedroom clothes would be thrown about the hallway and living room, waiting to be sluggishly picked up in the day.

Her back would hit the mattress and he would loom over her, ravishing her neck. Sakura knew this routine well enough to know that gentleness would be absent. He wanted her; he desperately warmth to bury himself inside the warmth of her body, the tenderness of her flesh, and the loving way that she would embrace him. He needed her, needed to get lost in the soft whimpers she made to him, the gentle caresses she gave. She was his morphine and he knew that. She numbed his pain and knew how to make him see and care for nothing but her. He would be selfish on nights like these, and she would allow it.

When the dawn broke through, they would be laying in each other's embrace. Sasuke's head would be pillowed on her chest, and her hands would run idly though his hair. He had told her it was something his mother used to do when he had nightmares as a child; Sakura made it a point to do this whenever he came home to her. Once, when they were like this he had stroked the medic's arm and flinched away, because he thought he left a trail of wet scarlet where he touched.

He almost forgot that Sakura often dealt with blood more than him. She was never in the front lines, but she was the most important person on their missions. She was the one who healed. She saved lives; with out her they would have fallen a while ago. When she worked at the hospital after gruesome battles, or is on missions where men clung to her and cried out for her to save them. She healed and inflicted wounds. A giver and a taker. She would help women deliver lives into the world, and the very next day take away a life from the earth. Sometimes it would get to her, and she would seek out Sasuke, often finding him in his home or at the riverside. Those were nights where he was the comforter, where he let her be selfish and take as much of him as she needed to forget. She would take longer to forget than him, because her heart was much purer than his. They would often finish once, and when she was breathing heavily under him, she would stare up into his raven eyes with her large innocent ones and the silent request would be thrown into the air.

_Again._

He would never refuse her. After she had gotten her fill, she would watch the light break through the window and it would be so bright, so beautiful, that she would feel the full impact of the horrors that she dealt with, and she would start to sob. He would watch her, cradle her as she wept, and she would cling to him like a small child who had lost their innocence.

Naruto and his fiancé Hinata were different. When he came to her, she would hold him. She would stroke his face and whisper endearments in his ears as he stared off into an unknown world that only he could see. He didn't show fear or sorrow in front of others anymore. He knew that he couldn't. He was going to be the next Hokage; he had to be seen as strong and only strong. But it was all right if it was Hinata. She was the one who knew him best. She would wait until he decided that he needed more than fleeting touches to forget, and he would capture her mouth. Her arms would snake around his neck, untying his forehead protector and then unzip his jacket. His muscles would clench as her hands slid down his chest and subconsciously in his head, he would press her tighter to him, and a growl would escape his throat.

Unlike his Sharingan friend, he always went slowly on these nights. The experience lasted longer and so did the drug that Hinata would give him through her body. Hands would roam and their breath would become labored, but their eyes would never escape each other's. It was like that if Hinata went to him for comfort as well. Gently, giving, taking, it was a battle that both were entirely familiar with.

Blood lead to Death.

Death leads to sorrow.

Sorrow went to alcohol.

Alcohol became sex.

Sex became love.

And Love became forever.

It was all just another day in the office.


	3. Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Title: Peanut Butter Jelly Time!  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: T  
Summery: Sometimes, even an avenger and a future leader have to go back to childhood.  
Author's Note: This came to me when eating PB&J with my best friend and joking around.  
Soundtrack: "Time and Confusion" by Anberlin  
Pairings: Um…none really  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

Being a ninja taught you many things, all of them valuable.

It taught strength, discipline, clear-headedness, and to calmly rationalize the situation in dire times.

But most of all, it taught you to enjoy life while it's still in your grasp.

Sasuke learned, after years of sorrow, betrayal, and stupid mistakes, to take that lesson to heart.

That was why he enjoyed days where his roommates were home. He would never say it out loud, oh no, he would swallow seventeen kunai before he ever admitted that. But he found a wondering calmness when his old teammates were with him in their apartment. As of now, he had his head in Sakura's lap as she sat on the couch reading one of her medical tomes. Her chin length floral hair was pulled back into small pigtails behind her head, and her teeth would scrape against her lower lip in thought. Sasuke smirked this morning when she came out of her room in her 'lazy clothes', as she called them. Which was really one of Sasuke's old t-shirts and Naruto's old boxer shorts. The articles of clothing were too small for them, so they let her have them. Now, Sasuke lifted his hand up and tugged lightly on the sleeve of his old shirt, to get the girl's attention. When she stared at the Uchiha with curious jade eyes, he pointed at their blond companion.

Naruto was sitting in the old armchair by the window, watching the little children play in the street below them. Every so often, a small smile would appear on his face, causing the scars on his cheeks to stretch slightly. He would chuckle now and then at the antics of children, and then a wistful emotion would appear in his eyes.

Sakura smiled softly and nodded at Sasuke. They knew without words that something was on the kyuubi-vessel's mind, and they intended to take his troubles away. After all, what were friends for?

"Whatcha thinking about, Naruto?"

The blue eyed boy turned his attention to his old crush and chuckled softly.

"Those kids down there. They're playing ninja. They have these little cut out kunai and shuriken from cardboard. It looks like fun."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why would it be fun to you? You _are_ a ninja."

Sakura whapped her companion lightly on his forehead, and smiled at Naruto.

"Didn't you ever play ninja as a child?"

Naruto shrugged, a smile on his face, but sorrow in his eyes. "No one wanted to play with me."

Sakura's smile fell, and she averted her eyes. Of course, how could she have forgotten? Even though Naruto had many friends now, as a kid no one wanted to hang out with him. Not even her. She shunned Naruto just like all the others, because it's what everyone did. She never took the time to try and get to know the boy behind all the nasty rumors.

"Didn't you…I mean…what else didn't you do as a child?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. I mean, I studied my academy stuff, and I messed around with Iruka-sensei. That's about it."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"You mean, you've never played hide and seek?"

"No."

"Kick the can?"

"Nope."

"Made a pillow fort?"

"No."

"Stayed up all night telling ghost stories?"

"Need people to do that, Sakura-chan."

"At least tell me that you've eaten a stack of peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches!"

"…What's that?"

The medic nearly fell over.

"What's the big deal?" Sasuke grunted. "I never did any of those things as a kid, and look how I turned out."

Naruto and Sakura stared at him with a smirk on their faces. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance before he smacked both of them in the face with a pillow.

"That's horrible, you two!" Sakura scolded. "I can't believe you! You know what? I'm going to change all of this right now!"

She pushed Sasuke's head off her lap and stood up, marching into the kitchen. The two young men shared a confused look before following her.

Sakura stood on her tiptoes rifling through the top shelf of their pantry. She muttered incoherent words under her breath, and blew her hair out of her face before smiling in triumph.

"Ah-ha!"

She pulled out a jar of tan colored paste, and set it on the counter. Then she turned towards their fridge and pulled some grape jelly out of the door. The men watched as she reached above the refrigerator and grabbed the bread before standing in front of the wooden cutting board. She pulled six slices of bread out and laid them in a line across the counter. One by one she spread the pastes across the bread.

Peanut butter. Jelly. Peanut butter. Jelly. Peanut butter. Jelly.

She put the slices of slicked bread together, and then got out three plates, putting one pair on each. When she turned, she made a gesture for the boys to sit at the small table. Once they were seated, Sakura sauntered over and laid the plates in front of them.

"Eat, and taste the joy of Peanut butter and jelly."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. "Have you gone insane?"

She slammed her fist into his head, and then smiled. "Just do it!"

Naruto grinned and lifted up the sandwich, taking a large bite. His eyes lit up, he grinned widely.

"This…THIS IS AWESOME!"

Sakura laughed. "It's just a sandwich."

"I know!" Naruto praised. "But…but it's so _good_! The jelly and peanut butter just…just _blend_!"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's not bad."

Sakura simply ate her sandwich in joy.

"So," Naruto prodded her side. "What other stuff is there?"

"Well," Sakura swallowed. "We could play hide and seek. Or make a pillow fort."

Naruto grinned. "Let's do that one!!!!"

About an hour later found a punch of pillows, couch cushions, blankets, and chairs holding up a small little den in the middle of the living room.

"There! It's finished!" Sakura grinned.

Sasuke and Naruto shared a smirk, then ran into the little fort, closing the cardboard door. 

"Hey!" Sakura grunted. "I wanna go in!"

"Sorry, No girls allowed!" Naruto's muffled voice came out.

"Then what the hell are you doing in here, dobe?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP TEME! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"GUYS! NO FIGHTING! THE FORT IS FRAGILE!"

A few minutes later, the trio sat in the small, dark space. Sakura had a flashlight under her chin as she told the ending of her ghost story.

"And now, every full moon…she returns to the village…seeking vengeance…"

The flashlight turned off with a click. Naruto shivered.

"That was spooky!"

"That was stupid."

"TEME SHUT UP!"

Sakura sighed. "I'd like to see you do better!"

"Please," Naruto snorted. "He'd probably tell a tale about a pedophile snake man."

Sasuke crossed his arms and looked to the side, giving a rather boyish pout. Naruto ignored him, and grabbed the flashlight.

"My turn!" He grinned, and then turned the light on, holding it under his chin. "Once…a boy went to his local shop…he wanted ramen…BUT THEY WERE ALL OUT!!!!!"

Sasuke shook his head. "You…are such a loser."

Sakura slapped Naruto's knee. "Tell a real one!"

"I don't know any…" Naruto sighed.

Sakura grinned. "That's okay, I'll tell you lots of them later."

The pink haired girl sighed, and flopped her head on the blonde's lap.

"So, having fun so far?"

"Tons!" Naruto grinned. "Thanks for doing this for us, Sakura-chan."

She shook her head, a small smile on her face, and she lifted up her hand and touched his cheek.

"You deserve it."

Naruto smiled at her, then poked her side.

"Let's play hide and seek now!"

Sakura grinned at Sasuke.

"One. Two. Three. NOT IT!"

"NOT IT!"

"Not-dammit…"

"HAHA! TEME IS IIIIT!"

"Screw you. This day is stupid."

Naruto grinned at his friend. "Admit it, you're having fun. You ate like, seven Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches."

Sasuke smirked and averted his eyes.

Even though the Uchiha loved the quiet. Sometimes…life was just better with laughter.


	4. All for one, one for all

Title: All for one, and one for all.  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: K+  
Summery: When we were Genin. Our sensei told us something. I had kind of forgotten it up until now. But I think that tonight…we can all agree on it. This is the saying that everyone should live by.  
Soundtrack: "Times like these" The Foo fighters  
Author's Note: REVIEWS AND SUCH WILL BE ANSWERED AND SPOKEN OF AT THE END!!!  
Pairings: Slight Hina/Naru and Sasu/Saku  
Disclaimer: (insert witty, 'I don't own it' pun here)

Twelve of Kohona's prized ninja were in shackles.

They stood before the high council, the Hokage sitting in the middle of the stand. Their old teachers stood at attention behind the council members, their eyes not showing any emotions what so ever.

"You broke the law." The old man scorned them. "He was in jail, and you helped him escape."

The twelve's eyes moved over to the 'he' they were speaking of.

Uzumaki Naruto stood in the middle of the line. His cerulean orbs down, because he knew what they were saying was true. Kyuubi had taken over him in the final battle with Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. He had destroyed nearly the entire western half of the village. But still, he felt happy. At this precise moment…he felt…

…Loved.

It was all so confusing from what had happened an hour ago.

_Naruto was sitting on the ground of his cellblock, waiting for his sentence to be decided. Sakura had come to see him, he jumped up and grabbed her hands, his forehead resting against hers.  
_

"_Don't worry Naruto." She whispered to him, and kissed his knuckles, much like a mother would do to their frightened son. "We're going to help you."_

"_What?"_

_A smile came to her face and she shook her head._

"_Whatever happens, just do as we say. All right?"_

_Naruto's brow furrowed. "Sakura-chan, I don't understand what you're-"_

_A strangled cry came from outside the jail door, and then a thump. Before Naruto could ask what was going on, the tiles from the ceiling of his cell crumbled to the ground. The blond looked up, and his jaw dropped._

"_Sasuke?"_

_The Uchiha's head came down through the broken ceiling, his hair falling and making him look like a troll doll._

"_Come on, dobe." Sasuke smirked. "We don't have all day."_

_Naruto looked back at Sakura, and she grinned at him, and then nodded._

"_Go on."_

_He smiled at her, and ran over to the middle of fallen tiles, lifting his hand up. Sasuke grabbed his wrist and hauled him into the vents of the ceiling._

"_Neji, are we clear?"_

Naruto turned to look behind him and saw Neji on the other side of the hole he just crawled into. The Hyuuga's byakugan was activated, and he looked around.

"_No one is here, Lee, Chouji, and Tenten are still fighting the guards outside, Shikamaru is in the surveillance room now."_

"_Good." The Uchiha nodded once, then pressed a finger to his ear, Naruto could see now the microphone that was around Sasuke's neck and the little earphone attached in his ear._

"_Shikamaru, where to now?" A pause. "Will we hit trouble?"_

_Naruto watched in awe. Shikamaru, Sakura, Sasuke, Neji, Lee, Tenten…who knew who else. They all had put their jobs, reputations, and lives at stake…just to save him. If it was a different time, he would have felt tears come to his eyes._

"_Sasuke!"_

_The Uchiha poked his head back down into Uzumaki cell B. Naruto saw that Sakura had a slightly agitated look on her face._

"_What is it?"_

"_Ino says that her and Hinata can't hold off Shishou for too much longer. She's starting to get annoyed with them. Kiba and Shino are still trying to cut off all the cameras in the halls too. You need to hurry and get out of here now."_

_Sasuke nodded. "You get out of here too, Sakura. Hurry back someplace safe."_

_The pink haired girl growled at him. "Screw you! This was my plan to begin with! I'm staying!"_

_Sasuke chuckled before coming back up to the vent. "So annoying."_

The ANBU and Konoha police had surrounded them as soon as they got outside the building. They were all arrested for treason and presented to the elders for a final decision.

"Helping a convicted criminal escape." The old woman growled. "It's simply unheard of! He is a monster!"

"YOU'RE THE MONSTER!"

Naruto's eyes flashed to the girl standing next to him. Sakura looked the most pissed that he's ever seen her. Her jade eyes flashed with rage and anguish.

"How can you speak of him like that? He's a citizen of Konoha, just as anyone else in this village! He deserves a fair chance!"

The woman slapped her hand on the table and stood. "He could be Konoha's downfall!"

"NO!" Sakura screamed. "It is close-minded, power hungry fools such as yourself that could be this village's downfall!"

"Insolent child!"

"Blind foo-"

"Sakura!"

The girl's mouth snapped shut for the only man that could ever have made it close that quickly. Sasuke stepped forward, his head bowed slightly so his hair covered his eyes. When he lifted his head up, Naruto saw a cold stare pierce the old woman.

"Uzumaki Naruto is the best ninja this village has to offer. He has never caused trouble for the village before. He, more than anyone, deserves a second chance and a fair outlook."

"Never caused any trouble before?" An old man snorted. "What about eighteen years ago? When the fox first appeared?"

"B-but that's not fair!" A high, normally gentle voice rang out. "That was the Kyuubi! That was not Naruto! There's a difference!"

Neji's brow furrowed. "Hinata-sama?"

The pale-eyed girl blushed and looked to the floor, but she didn't apologize for her outburst.

"Hokage-sama!" Another man cried. "Surely you must agree with us! They must be punished! Banned even!"

Tsunade looked out of the corner of her almond eyes at the man, her fingers laced in front of her face. She cleared her throat, and stared down at the twelve.

"Do any of you regret what you did tonight? Would you accept all punishment for your crime?"

She looked at the start of the line, where Chouji stood. He gulped, then lifted up his chin, and met her eyes. The boy nodded.

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's troublesome. But I agree with everyone else. Naruto deserved it."

Ino sighed, then smirked softly. "I don't regret it. Couldn't have Billboard brow show me up, now could I?"

Tenten smirked and shook her head. "I don't regret a thing."

Lee smiled. "The right thing was done. Justice needed to be brought to light!"

If he could have, Naruto was sure that Lee would have pumped his fist.

Neji nodded in agreement. Hinata gulped, but with surprising strength, stared down the Hokage and spoke.

"Even if it means sharing a fate the same as him. Naruto needed us. We weren't going to leave him."

Kiba simply chuckled, and Shino remained silent.

When the line met in the middle, team seven was the last words. Sasuke sighed and shrugged.

"Hell, I'm already seen as a traitor by you bunch of fools anyway."

Naruto smiled softly, and Sakura remained quiet as her head bent down.

"Sakura?" Tsunade questioned. "Anything to add?"

She lifted her head, and a brave smile was on her lips.

"When we were Genin. Our sensei told us something. I had kind of forgotten it up until now. But I think that tonight…we can all agree on it. This is the saying that everyone should live by. I'm sure Naruto knows it pretty well."

Naruto's eyes lit up, and he wet his lips, staring at Sakura's smiling face. His eyes traveled up past the line of angry elders, to where his old sensei stood. Kakashi's shoulders had slackened, he met Naruto's eyes, and then his crinkled up in an unseen smile. Naruto may have been imagining it, but he thought he saw the gray-haired man suck in a shaky breath.

"Those who break the rules of shinobi, are trash." Naruto recited. "But…"

His cold blue eyes looked at all the older men and women next to Tsunade.

"…Those who betray their friends…are worse than trash."

He heard Sakura let out a choked laugh, something between a chuckle and a sob, and her cuffed hands came over his head, so her arms could gently squeeze his neck.

"Are there any others who feel this way?"

There was a puff of smoke, and Kakashi appeared in front of the teens.

"I stand with them."

Gai came up next to his rival.

"As do I."

Kurenai nodded and made her way down to the group as well.

"This…this is lunacy! Hokage-sama! You must-"

"I was under the impression." Tsunade interrupted. "That _I_ was the leader of this village. Not any of you. So I'm fairly certain that my vote on this matter overrules all, and is the final word on this issue. Therefore, I _must_ do nothing."

The man shut his mouth.

"I will give them all three weeks of probation. You all will take shifts helping clean the academy from top to bottom." The Godaime smirked. "As for Naruto, you will help rebuild the west half of the village, _and_ clean the academy. No missions for you for six months. Instead, you will be training with the top ninja in the village on how to control that fox. This is _your_ body. He just lives in it. It's time for you to strike back when you feel his blows. None of you will be on missions anytime soon. Understood?"

There was a large chorus of "Affirmative" and they all bowed to her.

"As for you," Tsunade looked over the elders. "I think all of you should go through ninja training for three days, and learn just what it means…to be a shinobi."

"You can't do that!" A woman shouted.

Tsunade raised a brow. "Want to try me?"

Nothing was said. No one would dare defy the greatest ninja in the village hidden in the leaves.

"You twelve! You're free to go! Get some sleep, the files in the academy needs to be reorganized bright and early. Iruka will be happy that you'll be helping him."

They nodded, their handcuffs were released, and they formed a single file line to walk out.

As soon as they were out into the open air, an amused look was shared between them, then they all let out shouts and hollers of praises.

"I can't believe it!" Ino grinned. "We totally almost got banned from the village in there!"

Sakura jumped into Naruto's arms, who spun her around once and then set her back down. He turned to Hinata, smiling brightly.

"You were amazing in there Hinata! I never knew you had that power!"

The girl turned scarlet and scratched her cheek with her index finger.

"W-well…I just…I mean…"

Naruto threw his arms around her, hugging her to his chest, and he brushed his lips against her cheek.

"Thank you, so much."

Though she turned even redder, Hinata smiled and returned his hug, and turned her head a shade to the left so her lips brushed his ear.

"You deserve freedom."

Naruto pulled away and grinned at her, hanging his arm around her shoulder. He saw Sakura smile at Sasuke and tug his shirt sleeve, her fingers dragging down his arm slightly. Sasuke smirked back at her and took a hand out of his pocket to flick her forehead. Naruto laughed and held out his hand to his best friend.

"Thanks man."

Sasuke shrugged and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Hn."

Naruto translated his 'hn' into "You're welcome." And smiled at the rest of his friends.

"I really….I don't know how to repay you guys. This means…it means so much…you have no clue…"

Kiba snorted and punched his shoulder. "Well, stupid, after all that, I'm on an adrenalin rush! How about you repay us by treating us to ice cream?"

"Sounds good!" Chouji grinned.

Naruto nodded. "Alright, let's go then!"

He started walking, his arm unconsciously still around Hinata's shoulders. Sakura looped her arm in Sasuke's and walked by him, carrying on their own conversation. The others followed in suit.

The three adults watched them go, and Kakashi smiled under the mask.

"Those who betray their friends are worse than trash, huh?" Kurenai smiled.

Gai put a hand on his shoulder. "Obito would be happy."

"Yeah." Kakashi nodded, then looked at the two. "Come on, I'll buy you guys a drink."

He watched his kids go a minute longer, before a wistful smile came under the mask, and he saw the image in his mind's eye of a young girl with long pink hair pulling along two blond and raven haired boys by the hand. When his memory faded, he instead saw what they were now. A short haired girl walking in step with the raven haired boy, both smiling softly and speaking to themselves, occasionally turning to grin and say something to the blond boy who had his arm wrapped around the Hyuuga heiress.

_You've grown well. _Kakashi thought. _There's nothing more to teach you._

A/N: Well, It turns out I like how this one came out a lot more than I thought I would. Heh! You guys I'm so surprised by the number of reviews I've gotten for just three chapters so far! Keep it up; they're the highlight of my day! I'm happy everyone liked the PB&J chapter. I think that everyone should go eat one once and a while. The pillow fort is something that my friends and I did last year that I've wanted to do again. Now for reviews!!!

Sapphire Serenity- Thanks so much! Yeah, I mean, as much as being a ninja sounds like a blast cause of all the cool clothes and the sneakiness, It would really such to kill over and over and over again.

C.A.M.E.O- Hey, as far as I'm concerned, being 17 is still being a kid:-P

Thanks everyone who reviewed! I'm so happy that you guys like my little shorts!…taken out of context, that could sound really weird.

Until Next time!


	5. Home

**Title:** Home  
**Author**: Kendopunk  
**Rating:** M  
**Summery:** "If I lost you, it would be like I lost my clan all over again."  
**Author's Note:** I thought that I'd get this one up before bed. Cause it's one in the morning and I'm tired as hell, but I couldn't get this idea out of my head, so here it is. Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm so happy every time I get one!  
**Soundtrack:** "What's up, people" by Maximum the Hormone"A Reason to come Home Again" By Tokyo Rose  
**Pairings:** SasuSaku  
**Disclaimer:** No I don't own it.

Blood sprayed the gray stonewall like an abstract painting of death.

The man fell to the ground, a large crimson slash, reaching from his shoulder to his pelvis, separated pale skin from raw muscle.

The ANBU stared down at her victim, standing as still as a statue. Her senses were completely alert. She closed her eyes behind the mask and was in tune with all around her, as her training taught her to be. She could feel the dirt on the ground beneath her feet, as clear as if she were buried in it. She could hear the trees swaying in the breeze, and then she heard the sound that caused her small hand to tighten on her kunai, footsteps were vibrating on the ground as they ran towards her.

She spun around and lifted her weapon to block his strike. Her white teeth ground together as she tried to overpower her assignment. She grunted and shifted her right foot forward a little. She focused her chakra to her hands and pushed him off as her left leg swung behind his legs.

He fell to the ground and she slid the blade of her kunai along his throat. As crimson slithered out of the gash, she sharply stood up straight.

"Bravo, do you read me?" The little static voice rang in her ear.

"Affirmative Foxtrot, what's the situation?" She replied quietly, flinging the blood off her blade with a flick of her wrist.

"We lost the final target, but he was last seen headed your way." Her commander's voice sounded stressed out and frightened. "We're heading over to your area."

"Roger."

"Be careful."

"Understood."

A sigh, one entirely familiar to her, he was worried.

"I mean it Sakura. This guy…he's not right in the head. He's fucking insane. If you saw…there were two women dead. Three children. One man. They were…torn. It was disgusting."

A shiver went up her body.

"If this psycho kills innocent children, then it's all the more reason to kill him. I already took out two of his friends."

There was silence on the other end of her earpiece.

She sighed, and moved her head from side to side, trying to get the kinks out of her neck.

That was when he decided the time to strike. Like a ghost, he leaped down from the rooftop and his blade came down.

Sakura flipped out of the way in the nick of time. Her hands clenched into fists and she readied herself. 

"Kunoichi…here you die."

He jumped to her and gave a spinning back kick, hitting Sakura right in the ribs. She gasped and felt a few of the ribs crack. Her body was thrown like a rag doll across the street. She slowly hopped to her feet, and he was suddenly on her. His large hands grabbed her left arm and jerked it out of the socket. An ear splitting scream was released from Sakura's mouth and she quickly swung her leg up and her foot slapped across his face. The stranger released her and stumbled a few feet backwards.

The medic stumbled to her feet and her left arm dangled limply at her side. She clutched the kunai in her right hand and charged to him. She swiped him across his chest, and then appeared behind him. She kicked behind his knee, making him fall, then elbowed him in the middle of his spine, releasing chakra into the blow. He arched to her and she grabbed his neck, aiming to snap it over her shoulder.

He ducked his head and slid back so that he was facing her. He pushed her on the ground, and then she felt the steel of his weapon slide into her side. She clenched her teeth and hissed, as it slid into muscle and organs. As he smiled at her, she swung her kunai forward making it slip into his shoulder. He didn't move though. He pressed into her harder, and twisted his wrist, making the blade turn inside of her. Sakura screamed again and kicked him off her.

Their fight continued, he had sliced his katana across her upper arm, her collarbone, and finally slammed the hilt into the forehead of her Feline mask. She fell backwards and the mask shattered to pieces, revealing a beautiful pale face and frightened green eyes. He smiled at her and looked over his own injuries as Sakura lay on the ground. She did damage to him as well, but Naruto was right.

This guy was fucking nuts!

He had gashes all over his body, his shoulder blade sliced, but he kept going.

When they fought again, it was Sakura who was the victor. When he charged at her, she swung her leg out, and as he jumped into the air, she tossed a shuriken and it stuck into the main vein in his thigh, he cried out and fell to the ground. She gathered all of her remaining strength and made a final run to him. Her kunai was solid in her hand, and she sliced his throat, and then shoved it deeply into his heart.

He stared up into her eyes as his life faded away, and he smiled, a sickeningly frightening smile, before he closed his eyes.

Sakura rolled off of him, and hyperventilated. She was getting dizzier and dizzier. She couldn't stand. She couldn't even find the voice to speak out loud. Her wounds made a lake of scarlet surround her, and she felt it get colder. Suddenly she was tired. All she wanted to do was sleep.

"Sakura! Oh God! SAKURA! FUCK! SOMEONE GET ME SOME HELP OVER HERE NOW!"

Naruto?

She heard him, but she couldn't open her eyes to see him. Maybe…if he just let her sleep a little bit then she could tell him what happened.

Strong arms came around her body and lifted her up.

"Hang on Sakura. Just hang on. Please!"

She willed her lips to form words.

"S…Sa…S…S…"

"What?"

Her companion pushed his head down to hear her better.

"S…Sas…Sasu…uke…"

"Don't worry Sakura. I'm taking you home. You'll see him. I promise!"

She heard Naruto shout for Shikamaru before she faded away into a memory.

_She inhaled deeply as she wandered among the trees. Konoha's forests were beautiful in the spring. The sun peaked in through the canopy and set little crystals along the leaves, making it seem almost like an ethereal land. Her feet crunched lightly on the grass and she hummed a little song out loud._

_She noticed when he showed up. Her heart beat a little bit quicker, and she could feel his eyes on her. The dark orbs followed her every step, right down to the light swaying of her arms. She stopped abruptly and smiled._

"_Sasuke, shouldn't you be working?"_

_She heard the thump of his feet hitting the ground and she turned to face him._

"_Why are you complaining?" He smirked._

"_I'm not!" She laughed._

_He walked towards her in steady steps, his jounin uniform rustling with each movement. When he finally got within arms reach of her, he stopped._

"_You're leaving today."_

_She nodded._

"_You didn't tell me."_

"_It's just a mission, Sasuke."_

"_It's not!" He snapped. His eyes were fierce as he looked at her. "Do you even know who you're tracking?"_

"_Um…a bad ninja?"_

"_Kamakou Hiishi. He's a renegade ninja from the land of snow. Three years ago he went on a mission that screwed him over. Now he's insane. He is strong. He is fast. He does not hold back, for anyone. He's killed women, Sakura."_

_Her brow furrowed. "You think I can't take him because I'm a woman?"_

_He grabbed her shoulders. "He's killed **children** Sakura."_

_She sucked in a breath, and searched his eyes for a moment._

"_Ok, Sasuke." She whispered. "I hear you. I'll be very careful."_

_He sighed, and pulled her to him, hugging her to his chest. She sighed, her muscles relaxing and wrapped her arms around his torso._

"_You will come back." He commanded lowly._

"_Yes."_

"_You will not be lost."_

"_Yes."_

"_Good." He pulled away from her, his arms sliding down to her waist. "Because, if I lost you…it would be like I lost my clan all over again."_

_Sakura inhaled sharply. In Sasuke terms that was saying something important. She felt tears gather in her eyes and she nodded, smiling at him._

"_I'm not going to die." Her voice shook slightly._

_Sasuke nodded and caught her mouth with his. _

_Sakura's heart pounded in her ears, her lips moved with his and her hands clenched into his charcoal hair. He backed her up against the trunk of a tree and she pushed her leg in between his. When his lips moved down to her throat she rubbed her knee against his thigh, making Sasuke grab a fistful of her shirt and press his pelvis against hers. She smiled as he nipped her collarbone, leaving a few dark bruises. This reminded her of when they were younger, new lovers, and they would escape to this very forest after training to steal hungry kisses._

_Kakashi caught them once; he simply shook his head and smirked._

"_My, my," He had said. "So this is why you've been later than me."_

_Sasuke's fingers went under her shirt and drew lazy invisible designs on her stomach as she took his mouth in hers once more. His tongue moved slowly against hers, sliding over her teeth and he bit her lower lip, his teeth dragging across it as he pulled away._

_They stared at each other with half lidded eyes, Sakura's hands clutching at her shoulders, and Sasuke's under her shirt one hand on her back and the other right under her breast._

"_What time do you have to start getting ready for the mission?" Sasuke breathed._

_Sakura nibbled on his lip before answering._

"_In about a half hour."_

"_Hn."_

_Sakura smirked at him, one almost identical to his own and slid her hand down and under the waistline of his pants, her fingers splayed out on his hipbone._

"_Let's be quick." _

_He smirked and moved in to her already swollen lips, lifting her up to lie her on the grass._

Sakura noticed two things.

One, her head was throbbing.

Two, she hurt all over.

Her eyes slowly blinked open, adjusting to the light and new area she was in.

"Oh! You're awake!"

She turned her head and groaned, but her expression was confused when she saw the man sitting next to her bed.

"Kaka-sensei?"

The older man's visible eye shown with worry. "How are you feeling?"

Sakura tried to move, then winced. "I feel worse than I'm sure I look."

He nodded sympathetically. "Do you remember what happened?"

She shook her head slightly. "Bits and pieces. I remember getting the shit kicked out of me."

"Oh well that's always the best part of the memory." He chuckled slightly.

"Totally," Her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I love to recall how it felt to get my arm dislocated."

"Well, we were all really worried about you. We started to think that you might never wake up."

She stared blankly at him. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Three weeks. Naruto and Sasuke have been taking shifts on watching you. They both come by every day."

"Sasuke?" Sakura smiled slightly.

Kakashi nodded. "You should have seen him when Naruto brought you in. First thing he did was barge into the room when Tsunade was working on you. As soon as he saw your condition he walked out and threw up in the hall. The nurses weren't too happy about that. Then he slammed Naruto against the wall and demanded to know how you got that way."

"Demanded?" Sakura chuckled, then winced and tears stung her eyes from the pain.

"Mmm." Kakashi nodded. "I believe his exact words were, 'Tell me how the fuck she got that way!' I think he would have gone to find the criminal himself and torture him if you hadn't killed the bastard yourself."

Sakura's lips spread into a thin grin.

"Hey she's awake!"

Sakura looked to the doorway and saw Naruto there. The blond was frowning, and he went straight to her bed, and grabbed her hand.

"Sakura…I'm sorry. Damn, I'm so sorry!" She could see the tears clouding his eyes. "If I had just gotten there sooner!"

She cupped his cheek with her hand and slid her thumb against his scared whiskers.

"It couldn't be helped. It wasn't your fault. I don't blame you, so you shouldn't either."

"Right." Kakashi smiled at the two, then stood. "I'm going to go and get Sasuke."

Sakura nodded and looked back at Naruto.

"So," She coughed. "Did I do some damage?"

Naruto smiled weakly. "You kicked his ass. Man, the amount of wounds you gave that guy. You hit like seven of his vital points, Shikamaru said. It's amazing that he still came at you. I mean, it's insane and I wish it never happened, but the things you did to him were high class."

She laughed weakly, holding her stomach while doing so.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

Naruto took her hand in his and brushed her knuckles with his thumb. "I'm glad you're alive."

"Me too."

"Sakura."

Naruto looked over at Sasuke, and stepped away from the bed.

"I'll go get you some food."

As Sasuke entered, Naruto went past him out the door. Sakura inspected Sasuke as he stared at her. He looked awful. He had circles under his eyes, and he was paler than usual. He looked like he hadn't eaten in a while either.

"You look like crap." She smirked.

"Speak for yourself."

"Well that's a nice thing to say to your girlfriend who just woke from a coma."

Sasuke pursed his lips and clenched his jaw.

"You promised me." He growled. "You swore you'd be careful."

"And I was. It wasn't my fault that he found me. I killed him in the end Sasuke."

"But look at you!"

"I promised you that I would come home! I never said that I wouldn't be injured!"

"Injured?!" Sasuke scoffed. "He nearly killed you! You could have died! You almost did! If Naruto hadn't found you when he did then…then…"

"Sasuke…"

He ran a hand through his hair and looked away. "Dammit, Sakura! Why do you have to be so stupid! You're such a stupid girl!"

Sakura's lips parted a little, and she opened her arms to him, even though it hurt like shit.

Sasuke stared at her then, without even realizing that he had done it, was lying in her arms and clinging to her like a small child.

"So stupid." He muttered.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." She whispered into his hair. "The last thing I wanted to do was scare you."

Sasuke lifted his head up and stared at her, black pouring into jade, when the door opened up he stood. Naruto was in the doorway with a tray of food, and looking at the two. Sasuke just stared at her, and then touched her hand with his.

"I'll get Tsunade so she can look at you."

"Okay." Sakura nodded.

Sasuke turned and brushed past Naruto, who stared confusedly at Sakura.

"Bad time to come in?"

"No," Sakura smiled. "It's ok. He forgives me."

"How do you know?"

"I know." She sighed and closed her eyes. "We have our own language."

When black met Jade, there wasn't any need to speak.

_I'm sorry._

_I know._

I love you.

_I know._

_You're the reason I come home._

…_I know…_


	6. Sakurasensei

**Title:** Sakura-sensei  
**Author**: Kendopunk  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summery:** Sakura finally understood why Kakashi loved his job.  
**Author's Note:** Naruto's great and powerful Author said himself "Sakura would make a great sensei." This is kinda based on that. Thank you all so very much for the reviews! I'm not sure how I feel about this one shot though. The next will be better I hope. Review!!!  
**Soundtrack:** "New American Saint" Tokyo Rose, "Kaboom" Ursula 1000  
**Pairings:** None  
**Disclaimer:** No I don't own it.

Sakura stared at the three ten year olds, a frown firmly set on her face.

She was finally a Jounin team leader. Today was the first day of testing her newly assigned Genin team. So, what better way to test them than with the same test her sensei put her through ten years ago?

But alas, the bells still hung on her hip, tied to her kunai holster.

The children sat in front of her, a perfect little memory of the same position that she, Sasuke, and Naruto were in ten years ago.

Kisho sat on the grass in front of the large wooden pole. He had a scowl on his young handsome face, his gray eyes looking off to the side in annoyance. He reminded Sakura of a little Sasuke. His arms were crossed in front of him and when the wind blew his red shaggy red hair flew lightly to the right.

"Kisho," Sakura snapped. The boy swung his eyes to her. "You need to stop acting like a snotty little loner. You can't do everything by yourself, so learn quickly to form the word 'help'. If you don't, then you won't last long as a ninja believe me."

The boy's mouth dropped a little at the insult, but then snapped shut.

Sakura's eyes moved to the raven-haired boy that was tied up to the pole. His blue eyes were downcast in disappointment at himself, and hurt shown in his chubby face. He bit his lower lip and sighed.

"Masato!"

He brought his eyes up to her, flinching at the sharpness in her voice.

"You need to learn to stop being so gentle. There is no place for kindness on the battlefield. If I wanted to kill any of you three, you would be the first to go. For one, you dropped your kunai in fear. That's ridiculous. But then again, you probably had the best chance of beating me by making me laugh too hard."

The boy sighed and looked down at his feet again. Sakura winced inside. She didn't like being harsh to kids, but this was her team, and they needed to learn. If being a bitch was the way to teach them, then so be it. That led Sakura's green orbs to the girl sitting to the side.

"And you Mitsu."

The girl tucked a piece of her caramel hair behind her ear, and her dark orbs looked down to the grass below her feet.

"You were so worried about preparing for the battle, you didn't even notice that the battle came to you. You were the easiest one of all to take down."

The girl grumbled and picked some grass from the ground. Sakura's blossom hair swayed with the breeze. She planted her hands on her hips and glared at the children.

"This is not the academy. When you go into battle, you _will_ die. I won't always be there to save you, so you need to find your strength, and do it fast. Tell me, why do you think we split you into three man teams?"

"Because you're freaks?" Mitsu tried with a shrug. For the comment, she got a kunai stuck in the grass between her knees.

"B…because you want us to work together?" Masato questioned.

Sakura smirked. "Applause, applause. So, if that's why…then how come you didn't?"

"This is stupid!" Kisho growled out. "Why didn't you tell us that to begin with?"

"Because you should have known!" Sakura bit out. "In missions you rely on your teammates and they rely on you. You place your life in their hands and they place their lives in yours. You'll have to make tough decisions. Mitsu, how would you feel if I told you that I had tortured Masato, and I will kill him if you do not kill Kisho!"

The girl's eyes widened and then she shook slightly.

"You'll have to make those decisions!" Sakura shouted. "Teamwork is essential…so I'm giving you one more chance. Kisho and Mitsu can eat…but if you give any to Masato, then you'll all fail."

Sakura formed a seal and reappeared out of their view, into the forest. She sat on a tree branch and watched the trio. Kisho and Mitsu unwrapped their bento lunches silently, Masato's head hung as his stomach growled. Within fifteen minutes of waiting, Sakura was starting to have her doubts about this group. Until she saw Kisho raise his half eaten lunch to Masato.

"Here."

"You can't do that!" Masato whispered. "We'll fail!"

"We'll fail if you don't eat. It's a lose-lose situation. She wants to have teamwork so friggin bad then she can't complain about me feeding you."

Masato stared at the boy in wonder, and then licked his dry lips. "My hands are tied, I can't eat it."

A small, gentle hand took the chopsticks from Kisho's box and grabbed some rice, lifting the small pile up to Masato's mouth.

"Mitsu?"

The girl smiled brightly at her friend. "Go on, eat up. I'll help you. Those ropes must hurt."

Masato smiled and opened his mouth, having the small girl shovel food in. He chewed happily and then opened for another bite. Mitsu giggled.

"You're like a puppy, Masato."

The boy blushed and laughed softly.

Kisho rolled his eyes. "Will you stop talking and hurry up? She could come back."

"YOU THREE!!!!!"

Sakura shot out of the forest like a bullet, her eyes filled with rage. Kisho and Mitsu shot to their feet and spread their arms, defending the disabled boy. Sakura did a little happy dance of joy inside, but her eyes remained cold.

"Did I not say that you can not feed him?!"

"B…but…" Masato gulped.

"Yes?!" Sakura snarled.

"But that's not fair!" Mitsu's eyes widened with fear. "We can't work without him."

"Can't work without him?!"

Kisho pulled a kunai out of his pouch. "You said that we needed teamwork, well we can't let him go hungry."

Masato nodded his head. "Teamwork. All for one and one for all, right?"

Sakura began forming seals with her hands, loving how they twitched in unsaid fear.

"We're all in this together!" Mitsu's voice quaked.

Sakura swung her hand out, and the all shut their eyes and flinched. But when the blow never came, they looked over.

Sakura was smiling, her hand forming a 'peace' sign.

"Congratulations!" She laughed. "You three passed!"

"What?!"

She laughed harder, and went towards them, pulling a kunai out and splitting the ropes that held the coal haired boy.

"You passed. All for one and one for all? Keep that motto and you'll do well as shinobi."

"Why's that?" Masato raised a curious brow.

"Because," Sakura saw an image of Kakashi in her mind, when he spoke these words to her. "Those who break the rules of Shinobi are trash. But those who betray their friends…are worse than trash."

The three of them stared at her in wonder as she walked away from them, a smile on her face. After three pregnant pauses, she heard Mitsu and Masato holler in joy and cheer their heads off.

Three months later, her team had progressed exponentially. It was time for the chakra control exercise. But unlike Kakashi's tree climbing, she had a better idea.

"Sensei, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Mitsu pouted. "This is getting really boring."

Sakura laughed and patted the young girl's head. "Well if you didn't have the attention span of a gnat then it might get interesting."

"Hey!' The girl glared. "That's mean!"

Sakura stuck her tongue out and laid her hands on the girls shoulders, shooting a little chakra into her arms. "Relax, this will be cool."

She moved to Kisho, and rested her hands on his shoulders, pumping the same chakra into his limbs. "It's going to be hard."

Sakura moved to Masato, and did the same to him. "But I think you have it in you."

She pointed out to the edge of the woods.

"You three go out there, that's where your training is going to be today."

The three shrugged and wandered off to the border of field and forest. Sakura smirked and stomped her foot on the ground, it broke beneath her, and set the children off balance, having them fall into a large crater.

"What the hell?!"

Sakura's smiling face appeared above the hole.

"That's odd." She giggled. "Who leaves a twenty foot hole lying around?"

"Sakura-sensei!" Masato called up. "What _is_ this?"

"I like to call it 'The Sakura pit of doom.' You will have to get out of this thing before nightfall, using only your feet. Well, of course you can only use your feet, seeing as how I cut off the chakra supply and numbed your arms."

It was then that the three Genin tried to move their hands, and found it fruitless.

"That was a dirty trick!" Mitsu shouted.

"All is fair in love and war!" Sakura replied. "Help each other out, focus the chakra to your feet and walk the dirt walls out of here. I'll see you after dinner."

She straightened out and began walking away, smiling at the calls of her name and the curses to her grave. Within a few hours of her medical book, she heard people fall, _curses, cries of pain, angered yelling, and happy cheering._

"Masato, put one foot above the other."

"Kisho, you're doing it wrong."

"Mitsu, get your butt out of my face!"

"Kiss it!"

"I'll friggin kill you!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm too high up! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"Hey Masato, what's the weather like down there?"

"Heeeeelp me!"

Sakura had to bit her lip to keep from bursting out laughing.

She finally understood why Kakashi loved his job.

_Did he have this much fun listening to us do exercises?_


	7. Calm Before The Storm

Title: Calm Before The Storm  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: PG  
Summery: The most frightening thing isn't the battle, but the quiet before it. Make it last.  
Author's Note: Reviews will be answered at the bottom!!!! **_THIS CHAPTER AND THE TWO CHAPTERS THAT FOLLOW IT ARE ALL GOING TO BE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER READ THEM IN ORDER!!!_**  
Soundtrack: Digital Love by Daft Punk  
Pairings: SasuSaku and NaruHina  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

The world was an amazing thing.

Even though morning would be filled with blood shed, the night was still innocent.

These were the thoughts that filled many ninja's head as they stared out at the flickering stars in the dark sky. Tonight would be filled with peace, and joy, but tomorrow hell would be released. The Akatsuki would reach the outskirts of Konoha in the morning, and war would erupt. Many of the villagers were frightened of the crimson that they knew would paint their city walls, but the ninja of The Hidden Leaf were anxious, with nervous smiles on their faces as they waited for dawn.

Uchiha Sasuke was one of the many staring out his window. His dark brows were laced together in thought, and a grim frown was on his handsome face. He leaned against the windowsill of his small apartment, a sigh escaping his nose. He licked his lips lightly and traced the wall of his bedroom with a rough index finger.

Tomorrow would be a slightly bigger day for him than the others. He faced his destiny tomorrow, and the man that he had been training to kill for eleven years.

Sasuke's jaw clenched and his knuckles turned white with his grip on the wall. A small growl escaped his throat at the thought of his past. He would have closed his eyes, but if he did, he would have only seen blood. There was no need for that, there would be plenty of it sunrise.

Gentle fingers lightly traced his shoulder blades on his back, before ivory arms came around his torso, linking together in the front. Sasuke inhaled deeply the smell of almond oil and lilac, it calmed his nerves, just like it has for the past year. He turned in the arms that embraced him and saw the rose haired girl peering up at him through large jade orbs.

"Are you alright?"

Sasuke nodded once and broke the embrace around him, moving to the bed and sitting on the edge. He leaned forward and laced his fingers together in front of his face, his dark eyes glaring at the wall across from him. Sakura smirked and sighed.

"Ah the I'm-broody-and-detached-Sasuke pose."

The medic crept to her boyfriend, and moved his hands away from his face before sitting on his lap. She brushed his hair away from his forehead and stroked his cheek softly.

"What's on your mind?"

He glared at the girl straddling him and then looked away from her.

"Sasuke." Her voice was just a whisper, but it held a firmness to it that made him look back at her. "Talk to me."

He wouldn't have answered her, but her voice sounded so pleading that it caused his mouth to open and the question just came out.

"What if I see him?"

Sakura smiled at him gently and pressed her forehead against his.

"Then you do what you've been dreaming of for thirteen years. You kill him."

"Hn."

"Hey," She huffed out a small laugh. "Don't look at me like that. You are fully capable of slicing his head off before he even knows what hit him. You'll finally kill him, and we can finally start our lives."

Sasuke sighed. It was true; he had told Sakura that he couldn't marry her until he murdered Itachi. She didn't give him a fuss about it, she didn't cry or frown, and she simply nodded her head and then smiled at him. Almost as if she knew that he would say those words all along.

The avenger wrapped his arms around her waist, and then pushed both of them so they were lying on the bed. The couple sat in silence, Sasuke captivated with the spinning fan on the ceiling, and Sakura with the sound of his heartbeat under her ear.

"We'll both have blood on our hands tomorrow."

She nodded against his chest, knowing that he wasn't looking at her anyway.

"Mine from taking lives," He continued. "And yours from saving them."

Sakura looked up at him and her brow furrowed. "I'll be killing as well Sasuke. Don't forget that. You'll have the same amount of blood on your body as I do."

"Hn."

She moved her head on his chest again, and they took what little comfort they could from the company.

A few streets away, at the Uzumaki household, they were preparing for war a little bit differently.

"Do you want to lick the beaters?"

"Do I ever _not_ want to lick the beaters?"

Hinata smiled at her husband and handed him the chocolate covered utensil. The Rokudaime grinned and licked the cake batter, leaving only a trail of gleaming silver to show under it.

Hinata laughed quietly and sat down next to him at their small kitchen table. She sighed, her long dark hair falling over her shoulder. It was amazing that even on the eve of battle, Naruto could grin like a kid in a toy store.

"Naruto…"

"Hmm?" He raised a brow at her.

Hinata closed her mouth and smiled, lifting a hand to wipe a bit of chocolate off the side of his mouth. Naruto grinned in return and reached for her hand.

"You know," He laughed. "Chocolate…is probably one of the best things in the world. Especially your cake. I don't think anyone could take a bite of it and say 'this is bad'. Everyone loves it!"

Hinata giggled and watched him eat, her eyes trailing down his arm until they landed on their joined hands. His was so much larger than hers. Her palm against his would be like a child's.

"Naruto…"

"Yeah?"

"A-are you worried? About tomorrow?"

The Kyuubi vessel paused, his smile dropping to a small, hopeful one.

"Kind of." He replied. "I mean, I have no doubt in my mind that we'll win. But I know that there will be casualties. That's the thing that worries me."

He put down one silver clean beater on the table and leaned forward, his head falling against his wife's shoulder.

"Also," he paused. "I don't know if they're going to listen to me."

"Why wouldn't they?" She stroked his hair and rubbed the base of his neck gently. "You're the Hokage."

"Yeah." He sighed against her collarbone. "But some people still can't accept that. They'll always just see me as…"

"Stop it."

He lifted his head up and she met his eyes in a fierce gaze, her hands latched onto his.

"The village gets its strength from you, Naruto. Look at what you had in your childhood. You didn't have anything. Look at all that you have now, all the things that you have worked to get. Friends, Family, Strength, Acknowledgement, you've gone through such hard times, and have still come out standing tall."

Her gaze softened and she kissed his cheek. "What makes you doubt yourself now?"

Naruto stared in wonder at the woman before him. It was absolutely amazing that she seemed to know exactly what to say to give him hope. It was a quality that she had always had in her. Even though Hinata seemed frail and hopeless, she was one of the strongest people that he knew. For that, he was thankful that she was always on his side.

"I love you." He murmured.

His wife smiled at him, and kissed him softly, lingering his lips over hers.

"You gave me the strength to be myself." She whispered when they broke away. "You can give everyone strength to pull through. It's an amazing gift you have, to turn people's heads."

Naruto laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, kissing the tip of her nose. He moved his lips to her cheek, and then the corner of her mouth, before finally planting them over hers. He kissed her softly, his lips moving slowly against hers in a rhythm that they had made years ago. His tongue brushed against the seam of her mouth, and she automatically parted for him.

Hinata sighed into his mouth as their tongues played against each other. He was always the more dominant one, and she was perfectly fine with that. She liked it better that way. She felt safety in his kiss, and reassurance of the things that have yet to come. When he pulled away from her, he pressed his cheek against hers.

"I promise you, Hinata." He whispered in her ear. "Everything is going to be just fine."

She nodded against his head and her laugh tickled his ear, causing him to shiver slightly.

"What is it with you're ears?" She giggled.

"I have no clue." He grinned and kissed her forehead.

DING!

"CAKE!" Naruto shot out of his seat. "Cake! Cake! Yummy, yummy cake!"

Hinata shook her head, but stood with him, to get what he desired out of the oven.

OK REVIEW TIME 

I'm going to say this again, just in case you didn't read the author's note at the top. THIS CHAPTER AND THE TWO THAT FOLLOW IT ARE ALL CONNECTED!

XXDragonHeart5XX: No, none of these stories are connected unless I say that they are like above. They're basically just a series of one shots that I decided to file together. Good luck on your story!

Larua-chan: Thank you so much! I know this will sound totally weird, but it makes me really happy when people tell me that my stories made them cry. Because it means that I did my job as an author! So you made me really happy!!!

Mimi The Witch: Haha, yeah. But the real question is which of them are like which? It's pretty obvious that Kisho is like Sasuke, but I wanted to make Mitsu more like Naruto and Masato more like Sakura, just as a twist.

Violet-Kat: Thanks so much! I'll be sure to keep guzzling them out for as much as I can!

C.A.M.E.O: LOL! What schoolteachers do that? You should ninja kick them in the face.

Baika-chan: Yeah, Kakashi had a hand full with Team Seven, and he has a higher patience level than Sakura. I'm sure her team will learn not to piss her off soon.

Thank you all for the Reviews! You have no idea how much they mean to me. It makes my day every time I get one!!!


	8. The Perfect Goodbye

Title: The Perfect Goodbye  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: T  
Summery: Naruto has done many frightening things in his life. But this was by far the most.  
Author's Note: This is a continuation of "Calm before the Storm" So go READ THAT before you read this one. REVIEWS ANSWERED AT THE BOTTEM!  
Soundtrack: Before I forget by Slipknot and Redemption by Gackt  
Pairings: Naru/Hina and Sasu/Saku  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it. Nor do I own the "So… what do you want to do tomorrow?" before the battle. That's from the last episode of Buffy.

4:30 AM

Naruto has done many frightening things in his life.

He fought against Zabuza and Haku when he was only twelve.

He fought against his best friend when he was thirteen…and fifteen…and seventeen…and on Wednesdays.

But this…was by far the most frightening thing ever.

He was standing on the balcony of the Hokage tower, his wife on his right and his two best friends to his left (though you wouldn't tell with their ANBU masks on.) Below him in a giant crowd, was all the ninja of the Village hidden in the Leaves. The civilians had already been evacuated. Genin, Chunin, Jounin, ANBU. All of them were standing in quiet, waiting for him to speak.

"Naruto."

He looked at the ANBU wearing a cat mask, her pink hair in a small ponytail behind her head.

"Say something." She urged.

"They're waiting for you, dobe." The wolf masked ANBU commented.

"I…I don't know what to say." Naruto whispered.

A soft hand grabbed his, he stared down into his wife's pale eyes and smiling face.

"Just say what's in your heart."

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, letting all his memories warm his body and bring his mind at ease. Everything he cared about, every happy memory of his village, he let it all flow through his nerves, bringing a tingling feeling to his skin and a smile to his lips. When he opened his eyes once more, they were filled with clear blue.

"You are all citizens of Konoha, so you'll understand me when I say this."

Millions of eyes stared up at him, but he pinpointed the warm chocolate orbs of the man he considered a father in the middle of the crowd. Iruka smiled kindly up at him, and gave a thumbs up.

"You can do it!" He mouthed to the blond.

Naruto grinned at his old sensei and let his eyes travel over the rest of his ninja as he spoke.

"I've watched this village grow. I've watched everyone, because for a long time…no one was watching me." The ninja looked down at their shoes in guilt. "I see people, who shouldn't even be ninja today, standing tall and ready to fight." The Rokudaime smiled down at Lee, who did the nice guy pose as Gai clapped him on the shoulder. "I see Genin, who haven't been out of the academy even five months, standing with their heads held high and ready to fight." He grinned and winked at the children in the front row, who giggled in response. "I've seen the weakest ninja grow into the most admirable and smart." He glanced at Sakura, and saw Sasuke shift his weight so that his fingers brushed against hers slightly. The Medic ANBU looked down at the floor in what Naruto imagined to be a blush before looking back at him. He grinned and then his eyes shifted to Sasuke. "I have seen power hungry traitors become the most loyal and brave shinobi." Sakura returned the finger brush. Naruto squeezed his wife's hand. "I have seen the silent and determined pick up a blade and scream out their courage."

Naruto saw the many smiles beginning to form on the faces below him, so he continued.

"We've lost many good shinobi in battle, and we have gained many good shinobi in battle. This village…this village has been close to falling countless times. But are we down?!"

"HELL NO!" Kiba's voice rang out, making the crowd laugh.

"He's right!" Naruto chuckled. "Hell no, we're not down! We stand tall! And we continue to stand tall until the last Leaf symbol falls!"

There was a small cheer and applause, and then everyone quieted to let their leader continue.

"So now we fight. We fight for our precious people, for our precious village, and for the future ninja that have yet to come!"

A large grin spread on the Hokage's face as his nose wrinkled and his fist pumped in the air as he shouted his last sentence.

"LET'S SHOW THEM THE POWER OF KONOHA!"

A sea of applause filled the air, calls of joy and hope and courage swam in the atmosphere.

Hinata threw herself into Naruto's arms and he could hear her laughter.

"Very well done!" She kissed his cheek and smiled at him. He turned and suddenly Sakura was hugging him, a squeal of faith and happiness in his ear.

"Good job Naruto!"

He returned her embrace and chuckled. "Thanks…that was nerve wracking…I kinda have to pee now."

Sakura laughed out loud and let go of him, turning around to face Sasuke.

Two puffs of smoke appeared next to the Hokage before this two old sensei came out.

"Well done, Naruto." Kakashi's eye crinkled, in what Naruto assumed was a smile. "I think I even heard some Genin running to get into their positions for the battle. You got everyone all riled up."

Iruka cupped his hand around Naruto's neck and he had a large smile on his face, though his eyes were coated with tears.

"I…" Iruka took a breath and stared the boy he thought of as a son in the eye. "I am very proud of you. I knew that you would make an excellent Hokage. And you haven't disappointed."

Naruto's smile softened and he felt his own eyes sting with tears of happiness. Iruka then laughed and shook the young man.

"I am very, very proud!"

Naruto laughed with him and hugged the older man. "Thanks sensei."

He took a breath and looked back out to the shinobi standing and talking.

"NOW!" Naruto shouted, his face serious. The conversations abruptly stopped and the heads turned. "EVERYONE TO THEIR POSITIONS!"

The village replied in a chorus of "YES!" before they all disappeared. He turned to Iruka and Kakashi.

"Don't die, you two, or else I won't have anyone to leave the ramen bill after the battle."

"Shouldn't Hokages get ramen for free?" Iruka smirked.

"Hmm…good idea, I think I'll make that a law."

Iruka chuckled before disappearing. Kakashi turned to Sasuke and Sakura.

"I expect you two to still be alive as well."

Sakura giggled behind her mask. "See you on the battlefield, sensei."

"Hn."

Kakashi smiled and nodded before disappearing himself.

Naruto sighed, well that was taken care of. All that was left was to bid his three best friends goodbye. He turned to his wife first.

"Take care of yourself."

Hinata gave him a tight embrace, her head on his shoulder.

"I love you."

Naruto wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed.

"I know. I love you too."

Hinata pulled away from him, and then pressed her lips to his.

Naruto's eyes shut and he slid his hand down her hair before he pulled away, licking his lips softly to remember her taste.

"Go on now."

Hinata nodded, smiled at the pair behind him, and then ran off.

The original team seven stood in a small triangle.

"So…" Naruto sighed, before breaking out into a grin. "What do you guys wanna do tomorrow?"

Sakura lifted up her mask so it sat on top of her head. "I'm seriously craving ice cream, Saruma's is supposed to be the best in town. They just opened last month."

Sasuke lifted his mask as well, his face twisting in displeasure. "Blech. Sweets."

"Oh shut up!" Sakura glared at him. "I'm going to force feed it to you and I swear it will change your whole outlook on sugar."

Naruto nodded. "I'm up for some ice cream…do you think they have ramen flavored?"

"Ew!"

"You're sick, dobe."

Naruto laughed, then he remembered. "OH! Hinata made cake last night."

Sakura's face lit up. "I'm stealing some tomorrow!"

"Not if I eat it all before you get there." Naruto grinned.

"Stingy much?"

"Very."

The three sighed, small smiled on all their faces.

"Well…this is it."

Naruto hugged Sakura tightly, and felt her do the same.

"Be strong. Strike hard."

She nodded against his neck. "Don't make me go all the way across town to heal your sorry ass."

Naruto huffed out a laugh. "Promise."

The pink haired girl pulled away and smiled. Naruto turned to his best friend.

"Don't go getting all…gah!" Naruto's face contorted in fake pain and he gripped his neck.

Sasuke glared at him. "I won't. Thanks for the reminder…jackass."

Naruto chuckled then held out his hand. Sasuke smirked and grabbed it.

"Take care of yourself, man."

"Hn. Don't be a loser."

Naruto nodded, and then brought his hands together forming a seal. He grinned at the two and winked.

"Here we go! Dattebayo!"

The Rokudaime disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke sighed, and before he could take one step, Sakura was in his arms. Her body shook slightly, and he placed his arms around her. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her lips brushing against his skin as she spoke.

"Come back to me."

Sasuke lifted a hand and grabbed hold of her chin forcing her to look up at him.

"…I will."

He crushed his lips against hers, his hands forcing her body against his. Sakura's hand fisted in his hair as she opened her mouth under his and gave a small gasp as he desperately kissed her. He pulled away, his teeth scratching against her lip.

"Leave now." He breathed.

Sakura nodded and brought her hands together in a seal before leaving just like Naruto. Sasuke took one last look around the empty area before doing the same.

7:30 AM

Clangs of blades smashing against each other filled the air and flashes of ninja went through the woods.

Kiba threw a kunai in the neck of a sound ninja as he went back to back with Neji.

"After this mess I'm getting piss drunk!" He shouted.

Neji did a spin kick that made a masked Sound fly into three trees.

"After this mess I'm forcing Naruto to give me a raise!" He replied.

Kiba laughed as he jumped onto Akamaru's back.

"I'm going to the south street, are you alright here?"

In response, Neji spun around quickly in a circle, forming a barrier in the Hakkesho Kaiten. Five Sound Ninja were forcefully thrown away from him, smashing into trees and onto the ground.

"I guess that's a yeah." Kiba mumbled.

8:00 AM

Green chakra formed around Hinata's hands as the slash across Genma's back healed, the flesh closing behind the trail of her fingers.

Genma grinned, senbon sticking out of his mouth.

"Thanks Uzumaki."

Hinata smiled slightly before running over to where the fallen genin was.

"Hold still, I'll help you."

She lifted up the young boy's shirt and her palms glowed once more as she sucked the poison out of the child's system. She heard the clashing of blades behind her, but didn't turn her head.

"Genma?!"

"I got your back!" He grunted, swinging his kunai and cutting open an enemy's face.

9:30

"Kage Kubi Shibari no jutsu!"

Shikamaru's shadow extended from him and shot to the shinobi in front of him. The sound ninja was paralyzed as the shadow climbed up his body and went to his neck, winding around.

"Nn…No…gg…"

The man's face turned purple before he finally choked.

"Good to go Ino?"

"Shinranshin no Jutsu!"

The shinobi that was about to attack Shikamaru now turned to his partner.

"What are you doing?!"

"I …I can't stop!"

Ino came forward and grinned.

"Yep…I'm good!"

11:30

Sakura slammed her fist into the ground, forcing it to erupt and set the enemy ninja off balance, while they were trying to get their footing back, she appeared in front of the two, kicking one and decking the other. Both shot away from her and flew into different objects.

"Nice one!"

Sakura grinned at TenTen behind her mask, wiping her hands on her pants.

"Well done,"

A kunai came wizzing through the air, Sakura barely dodged it, but the hilt caught on her mask and it cracked, falling into the ground.

"Sakura-chan."

Sakura's blood ran cold for a moment as the owner of the voice came through the trees.

"Kabuto."

The silver haired man smiled. "What? Not happy to see me?"

"TenTen!" Sakura called. "Go help Lee."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I've got history with this scum."

"Hm." TenTen nodded and jumped into the trees.

"So," Sakura smirked. "You took control of Sound once Sasuke left?"

Kabuto chuckled. "Something like that. Actually, I found an even greater force to serve. I believe you have history with them as well."

Sakura took a kunai out of her pouch and held it in front of her. "You're serving the Akatsuki now? What's wrong? Can't handle being in charge, you always have to be the lacky?"

Kabuto grinned. "Still holding people back?"

The female medic growled and threw the kunai at him, which he easily grabbed. Kabuto lunged forward and threw his right fist in front of him, Sakura lifted up her arm to block it and slammed her foot into his ribs, letting a small amount of her chakra burst out. She smiled when she felt a few of his ribs crack. She grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder, his back slapping against the dirt.

Kabuto groaned, but flipped up. He spun towards the girl and let open a series of attacks that left her bleeding on the ground. Kabuto just put icing on the cake when he kicked her in the side. She coughed out some blood and then staggered to her feet. Kabuto pulled out a staff from behind his back and twisted it. Oh great, now he had two staffs. Small staffs, yes, but he had two staffs. Sakura smiled softly at that thought as her perverted Inner Sakura twisted her words. Sakura looked around for a weapon that was equal to his, and saw a large tree branch lying on the ground. She shoved her foot under it and kicked it into her arms.

Sakura snapped the thick branch against her thigh so it became two and then spun the bark around in her hands, twisting it back and forth around her body before ending in a fighting stance.

"Impressive." Kabuto smirked, blood splotted on the side of his mouth.

He and Sakura charged forward, their weapons slapping together as they fought.

A kick.

A punch.

A hit.

A block.

A fall.

A flip.

A substitution jutsu.

A kunai throw.

Their fight lasted ten minutes until Sakura slammed the butt of the wood against the bridge of his nose and slapped one stick against his chest and the other on the back of his knees, bringing his legs out from under him. Kabuto fell to the ground and coughed out a spitwad of blood.

Sakura stomped her foot on the ground, the earth eroded and Kabuto flew up three feet in the air. Sakura gave a powerful sidekick that swung him back and he hit a tree, falling to the ground. Sakura was breathing heavily. She sighed and threw the sticks to the side. Kabuto stumbled to his feet, and in the blink of an eye was in front of Sakura, his hand tight around her throat and he backed her against a tree trunk. His hand was glowing blue…he would kill her.

"I serve Itachi-sama," He huffed out. "More powerful that Orochimaru-sama!"

Kabuto spit in her face, his growl of annoyance ringing in her eardrums and his hot breath on her face.

"What makes you think that you could possibly beat me?!"

Sakura's teeth clenched and a flash of Naruto's smiling face appeared in her mind.

She smirked at him. "Because I serve a greater leader."

Sakura smashed her head against his and Kabuto stumbled backwards. Sakura grabbed hold of the pressure points under his jaw and brought his face down to her knee, loving the sound of his nose cracking.

"How…" He groaned on the ground. "How could…you have…gotten…"

Sakura flipped backwards in the air, getting some distance between her and the other medic.

"Well Kabuto…I'll explain it to you in something you recognize."

Sakura performed a few seals, taking a deep inhale of breath and holding it for a second. Kabuto's eyes widened as he recognized the seals.

_How could she perform that jutsu! That's the Uchiha clan's!_

Sakura blew out and fire erupted from her mouth, Kabuto rolled out of the way, the flames licking the skin of his arm.

Sakura appeared in front of him, and Kabuto felt the foot of her boot connect with his jaw, making him fall backwards.

"Sasuke saw fit to teach me. After all…" She smirked, and Kabuto swore he saw the face of the Uchiha heir instead of hers. "…I am going to be an Uchiha soon."

That was the last thing Kabuto heard before two kunai flew at him, one lodging in his head…and the other straight in his heart.

"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu…it's been a while since I've seen it."

Sakura spun around and gasped.

He looked just like him.

Just like her Sasuke.

But…wrong.

Uchiha Itachi gave her a small smile. "So…you're the one my brother has chosen."

Sakura backed up a few feet. She wasn't strong enough…not for this…not for him. Even if she was, this wasn't her fight. It was Sasuke's. She had no right.

Itachi stepped forward, his eyes shifting over to Kabuto.

"Foolish. But I must say, I am impressed."

"You don't want to fight me."

Itachi looked over at her, and then at the kunai that was clutched in her fist.

"No." He mused. "I don't. It's not worth my time. A pointless battle."

"Maybe not." Sakura snapped at him. "I know what you want. I know that you're after Naruto."

"The Kyuubi. Yes."

"Well," Sakura bit her already cut lip, and the blood trickled out. "I won't allow you to take him. So sooner or later…we're going to meet…and I'm going to stand against you for Naruto."

Itachi's amused smile widened slightly. "Is that so? Then I suppose it's better that I kill you now."

Before Sakura could draw in another breath, his cold hand was around her throat, lifting her off the ground. It was tightening with each second. She couldn't breath, she couldn't think. A few veins came out of the side of her temple as her face changed into a deep red and her eyes watered.

"How fitting." Itachi mumbled. "A foolish little girl for a foolish little boy."

"You would be wise to let go of her…" A voice spit out. "…brother."

Itachi dropped Sakura, and turned towards her fiancé.

"Little brother…we were just talking about you."

A/N: ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! YEY! WOW SIXTY REVIEWS! Remember everyone **NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST ONE THAT'S RELATED TO THIS TRILOGY! THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO ONE SHOTS!!!**

Ok, reviews:

Fightinsurfgrl: Yeah, Naruto still has his obsession with Ramen, but I don't think that ramen flavored cake would be very yummy. Ramen is his favorite food, but Hinata's cake is his favorite dessert!

Arcaina: Thanks so much! I just did Sakura as a sensei because Kishimoto said that out of all of Team Seven, Sakura would make the best Sensei.

Violet-Kat: He doesn't love it more, lol, he just…likes it a lot. Don't worry, he's not cheating on Ramen with Cake. Him and Ramen are still married. Hmm…wonder how Hinata feels about that.

Mimi The Witch: Thanks so much! I'm so happy that you like my writing! LOL! I personally think that I could get a heck of a lot better seeing as how so many out there are so good! I read some fan fics and think "Man! I could never write like that!!!"

Baika-chan: Thanks! Yeah, I try to make Naruto and Hinata's relationship a lot more fun that Sakura and Sasukes, because Naruto is such a happy go lucky guy and Sasuke is kinda…not…so happy and go lucky. If he was…it'd be kinda weird. But Sakura and Sasuke do have their fun moments.

Laura-chan: Thanks! LOL! I'll get on the next chapter and have it up next Friday.

Yuri: DUDE I LOVE YOUR NAME! LOL! It's Sasuke's English VA's name, and he's one of the coolest dudes around, and one of my favorite actors. Yeah, I actually got the cake idea because the night I wrote it…my mom made cake. The whole starting point "Do you wanna lick the beaters" is what my mom asked me. My reply was Naruto's reply. LOL

XXDragonheart6XX: Oh! LOL! Ok then! Well, I'll see what I can do!

C.A.M.E.O 1 and Only: LOL! Well don't get a referral. Just…draw a picture of you ninja kicking them in the face. "ninja kick them in the face" is what my English teacher says all the time. So, not all teachers are bad, right?

I'll see you guys next week, and thanks for all the reviews!


	9. The Blood of the Fallen

Title: The Blood of the fallen.  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: M for violence  
Summery: He looked on his hands and saw the crimson staining his fingers

Author's Note: This the last installment of "Calm before the Storm" and "The Perfect Goodbye".  
Soundtrack: "Wonder" Megan McCuley (I totally just butchered her name)  
Pairings: Naru/Hina and Sasu/Saku  
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it.

12:00 pm

"_Little brother…we were just talking about you."_

Sasuke's teeth clenched as the older Uchiha dropped Sakura to the ground.

The medic coughed as her face returned to its natural color and she was gasping for air as she was trying to crawl away from Itachi. Spots were showing up in front of her vision, and her head felt woozy. She quickly turned over as her stomach convulsed and relieved itself onto the forest floor.

"Sakura?!"

She nodded and held up a hand to tell her fiancé that she was all right.

"Can you walk?"

Sakura tried to get to her feet, but her fight with Kabuto had drained her and it would take at least an hour to get her energy back…unless she found Hinata or Ino and they healed her wounds. But to do that she would have to walk, wouldn't she? Shit. That plan's out.

She looked over at the two remaining Uchiha. Sasuke wasn't staring at her; his eyes were locked in a fierce glare with his brother's. His ANBU mask was lying on the ground. It made sense; Sasuke would want to fight his brother face to face, not cowering behind a mask. After all, this was what he was waiting for. Even though Sasuke's eyes weren't directed at her, Sakura knew that he was slightly worried about her being there. That made Sakura scared. He couldn't fight Itachi to his full power if he was worried about her well-being.

As if their teammate had read her mind, there was a woosh of air and Sai appeared next to her. His hawk ANBU mask in place and his sword on his back.

"Sai…"

"Damn ugly, did you run into a tree?"

"Sai!" Sasuke barked. "Get Sakura out of here now!"

Sai looked between Sasuke and Itachi and then bent down, lifting Sakura into his arms.

"Where to?"

"Ino…Hinata…whoever is the closest medic. I don't have enough Chakra to heal myself."

Sai nodded then took off into the trees.

Sakura leaned against his shoulder and sighed.

_Sasuke…please be safe._

12:05 pm

"You've grown soft, brother."

"Shut up."

"I told you to hate me."

"Whoever said that I didn't?"

"Your hate must not be strong enough if you have time for trivial things such as lovers."

"Jealous?"

Itachi chuckled, his hair covering his eyes, and then he looked up at Sasuke.

"This will be our final battle."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"No, Itachi. This will be your grave."

The Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes was activated, swirling commas of black standing out against the red. Without a single word or warning, he charged. With every swing of the fist that Sasuke gave, Itachi either blocked or dodged. He still had an advantage, after all these years, he still had an advantage.

Sasuke let out a roar and finally slammed his fist into Itachi's nose. Call him sadistic, but when Sasuke heard the snap of his brother's nose breaking, it gave him a sliver of joy. Itachi didn't make any notice of what happened to his nose, instead, he spun around and landed a kick into his brother's chest, knocking Sasuke back seven feet. Itachi lifted him up by his ANBU vest and threw him against a nearby tree.

"Foolish. Even now. What have you been doing these years Sasuke?"

The younger Uchiha took a gasping breath and coughed out blood, wiping his mouth and standing on his feet. He ran at his brother again and slid the Katana out of the sheath on his back. Without any hand signs, a silvery blue mass of chakra circulated around him as the sound of a thousand birds filled the air. The jagged ropes of his energy wrapped around his blade, and Sasuke smirked. He really shouldn't use the Chidori Nagashi this soon into the battle, but what can he say? Sasuke always was rather impatient.

1:00pm

Sai found Hinata first; luckily, she and Genma seemed to find Naruto as well.

"Oh my God, Sakura!"

Naruto's head whip lashed at his wife's cry. He gasped when he saw his friend's bruised and battered state.

"Hina…ta…" Sakura gasped. "I need…you to heal me…I don't…much chakra…"

"Yes, of course."

Sai laid Sakura down on the ground, and Hinata did a few hand seals, gathering the right amount of chakra needed for healing her companion.

"Sakura-chan!"

Naruto frowned, and tried to remain in his battle stance as he looked over his shoulder at where Hinata was working on Sakura.

"Hokage!"

"Dammit dickless!"

Before Naruto could process what was going on, a kunai sailed over his shoulder. He turned and saw a Sound ninja ten feet away from him, with his sword raised over his head. The ninja fell to the ground, a kunai in his forehead, slicing straight through his protector.

"Sakura-san is fine! Watch yourself!"

Naruto nodded at Sai and turned to face the oncoming ninja.

Sakura's breathing started to regulate as Hinata healed most of her major wounds.

"Those bruises on your neck…" Hinata started.

"Itachi."

Naruto's eyes snapped to the side.

"Sakura-chan, where's Sasuke?"

Sakura took several deep breaths, then looked over at her boss and best friend.

"Finishing what Itachi started."

"Did Itachi do all that to you?"

The pink haired girl shook her head. "Kabuto."

"Kabuto?"

"That piss ant?"

"Genma!" Naruto snapped.

"What? I'm only telling the truth." The older jounin replied as he uppercut a masked nin.

"I killed him." Sakura replied.

"You did?" The Rokudaime laughed.

"Way to go, Sakura." Genma smirked, taking the senbon out of his mouth and flinging it into an attacker's throat.

Sakura sighed, and leaned back into Hinata's lap, letting her headrest against her arm.

"Sasuke…" She breathed out.

"I'm sure he's going to be fine." Hinata gave a smile. "And hey, at least you killed Kabuto. That's good…right?"

"He was a weakling anyway."

Four heads snapped over and saw the last person any of them wanted to see.

"Kisame…"

1:30pm

Sasuke inspected the man who he hated more than anything.

Itachi's body was lying like a ragdoll on the forest floor. His legs were snapped and in unnatural directions. His left arm was lying five feet away from him, the tendons splintering out onto the blood soaked grass.

After two Chidori Nagashi's and a battle of the Sharingans…he finally killed his brother.

An insane grin spread on his face, and his shoulders started shaking with laughter. He lifted up his head to the sky as his smile faded. He took a few deep breaths, and then covered his nose.

There was too much blood. It burned his nostrils like a blazing fire.

He looked on his hands and saw the crimson staining his fingers. Coal orbs widened as he processed the meaning of what he just finished.

His hands were soaked with blood.

Itachi's blood.

An Uchiha's blood.

His body began to shake as he tried to wipe the palms of his hands onto his pants, but it just smeared and stained. Whimpers began to escape from the back of his throat as his entire body trembled. He grabbed his hair, threw his head back and screamed.

1:34pm

A large cry echoed off the trees.

Sakura shivered in Hinata's arms as her blood ran cold.

"Naruto!"

"Go." He commanded, his eyes never leaving the Mist Ninja. "Hinata, go with her."

They nodded, with newfound strength and determination, Sakura lifted herself up, and sped off to the direction where the scream began.

"It's been quite a while kid. Did you miss me?"

"Fuck you."

Kisame grinned. "Those aren't nice words, you'll have to pay for that."

1:38pm

Sakura arrived in the area before Hinata.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw her love crumpled on his knees, his brother's corpse a few feet away from him. Sasuke was shaking violently, and releasing the contents of his stomach in-between his hands.

"Sasuke…" She whispered.

His shock-filled orbs turned to her, and he choked slightly.

"Won't come off." He muttered, his hands lifting up to meet his eyes. "Keep rubbing and rubbing. But the stain remains."

"Sasuke…"

Leaves and twigs cracked under her boots. She moved slowly, as if he was a deer that she was afraid would run. When she finally did reach him, she took his hands in hers gently, and made him look her in the eyes.

"Sakura…" His lips trembled as if he would start to cry, but the tears never came.

"It's alright now Sasuke, you can rest…rest for now. We'll take care of everything."

He lifted up a hand and his thumb brushed her cheek. Sasuke's mouth dropped open in a silent gasp when he saw the red trail after, marring her perfect face.

"N…nnh…no." He began to try to scrub her cheek, trying to rid the stain that he created. "Shouldn't be on you. Doesn't belong."

"Sasuke, listen to me, Sasuke stop it. Stop it."

He didn't listen, Sakura sighed and backhanded him, the slap echoing in the forest.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"He's dead."

"I know."

"I killed him."

"You did."

"What now?"

Sakura sighed, and wrapped nimble fingers around the straps of his vest, hauling him to his feet. She bent down and lifted the katana off the ground, flinging the blood off of it with a flick of her wrist.

"Now…we fight."

She pressed the hilt of the sword into his palm, and he stared down at her. She smiled gently at him.

"Come on Sasuke, let's finish this war. There's ice cream to be eaten, our wedding to plan, and Uchiha babies to make. But first…you need to fight beside me."

Sasuke met her cheerful gaze. It was why he loved her. She had a smile to match even the clearest of days, when she smiled like that, he could breath, he could feel, he could think. It was a drug, something that was as much a part of him as it was her. When she smiled at him like that, it didn't matter the situation, the outcome would be in their favor.

Sasuke nodded, and then lifted up a finger to trace the bruises on her throat.

"Forget it." She whispered. "They don't hurt much."

Again, he nodded, and slid the katana onto his back, following her to where Hinata stood.

"Let's go."

2:00pm

Naruto gasped for breath as Sai was thrown against a tree, making the branches shake.

The blond wiped the blood off of his forehead, as he worked on steadying his breathing. Kisame was a tough opponent that was for sure.

The blue skinned man smirked, and did a few hand seals, a giant flowing liquid dragon coming out of the river they were next to. It was shooting straight towards Naruto and Sai, but they never felt the impact. They heard the water crushing something, but it wasn't them. The two men looked up and saw a giant roof of sand floating above them, taking the blow. Naruto swung around and saw his friend standing on the branch of a nearby tree.

The red head's hand was outstretched, his fingers controlling the mass and shifts of sand above their heads. His shaded aqua eyes narrowed in malice at the man who dares to attack his allied village.

"It's about fucking time, Gaara!"

"Sorry." The monotonous voice replied. "It took a while to get the supplies and troops together."

Naruto smirked. "Whatever, you're here now, right? Hey, Sai!"

The ANBU looked at him.

"Go find Kankuro, help him if he needs it, if you see any more Akatsuki, dispose of them."

Sai nodded once, then disappeared.

"Well Kisame, it appears you've hit the jackpot. Two Jinchuuriki for the price of one."

"Then I'll just hit two birds with one stone."

Kisame drew his spiked blade, and laughed.

"I'll kill you two, then Itachi and I will burn this pitiful village to the ground."

"That'll be hard to do, seeing as how Itachi is dead."

Three heads moved to where Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata just showed up.

"Dead?"

"I killed him." Sasuke growled.

"Impossible."

Naruto grinned. "Well, that takes care of that."

He lunged at Kisame when he wasn't looking, and rammed his fist against his jaw, flinging the man back until he was trapped in a sea of sand.

Gaara clenched his fist, and the sand contracted, crushing the Akatsuki's body…only to have it burst into water.

"Damn!"

Naruto fell to his knees as his shoulder was sliced and shredded under the weight of Kisame's blade.

"Naruto!"

Hinata was about to run forward, but Sakura held a firm grip on her shoulder.

"He can do this."

They watched, as sand and water clashed, as swords and kunai met, and as blurs of their leader, friend, and enemy swam. It went on for fifteen minutes, grunts of anger, cries of pain, and thuds of figures falling to the ground as dust flew into the air. Then the air started to circulate, and Naruto's rasengan appeared in his hand.

He and his clone ran at Kisame as he was trapped in Gaara's sand, his hand hit his target, the Sand let Kisame go as he was thrown against the stonewall of a nearby cave.

Naruto sighed, and he and Gaara walked over to Kisame, making sure he was dead.

They smiled at each other, and then Naruto gave thumbs up to the three audience members. Sakura grinned at him, and Sasuke smirked. Hinata ran over to her husband and threw her arms around his waist, holding him tightly to her.

"Whoa, there." Naruto chuckled. "I'm ok, Hina-chan. I promise."

He began to pry her away from him, when he felt her shudder and cling onto him.

"Hinata?"

He lifted up her chin and stared into her pale, frightened face.

"Hey, I'm alright. It's ok."

She nodded, and sucked in a deep breath, squeezing her husband before letting go.

"Lets go help the others." He grinned.

"Yes!" She chirped.

9:00pm

"If this place was knocked down. I'm going to be pissed off to no end."

"Relax, Sakura-chan, think of all the awesome ice cream we'll be eating."

"You relax, stupid! I just spent an hour and a half doing sutras as Ino the pig faced wonder got surgeries!"

"The world is a bitter place." Naruto laughed.

"Don't I know it." Sakura grumbled.

"It's not so bad." Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto's eyes widened as he lifted up his hands to shield his head.

"What the hell are you doing, dobe?"

"The world is ending!" Naruto shouted. "The sky is about to fall! SASUKE SAID SOMETHING THAT ISN'T EMO!"

"…Go kill yourself."

Naruto straightened. "Aw, never mind, he's still Sasuke."

Sakura smiled. "And I wouldn't have him any other way."

Sasuke's cheeks reddened slightly as she kissed his cheek.

"Did Hinata say when she'd be done at the hospital, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura sighed and shook her head as they entered the Ice Cream store. "She was in the ER, I didn't bother her. She'll come here when she can. We'll both be busy for a while at the hospital, then helping rebuilt the village."

"Yep, I'm gonna be busy too." Naruto nodded, stopping to read the menu that was over the vendor's head. "You guys probably won't see me for a while. All the files…they're going to eat me. But for now, I'll savor my…um…" He put a finger to his chin and then looked at the cashier. "Chocolate truffle ice cream…and smile. Because guess what? The Akatsuki is no more!"

Sasuke snorted. "For now anyway, there's still some psychos out there that could form a new one."

Naruto stopped and leaned on the counter, staring dumbstruck at Sasuke.

"Dude," he groaned. "Why do you always have to be such a freaking downer?"

A/N: I'm so so so so so sorry that this chapter is so late, there were two very good reasons for it though. First, I had writers block. Freaking Itachi was giving me a hard time on finding a way to start their fight. Second, my Grandfather died, so I wasn't really in the mood to write stories about people dying. No matter how evil and stupid they were. I'm so not happy with this chapter though. Man, this chapter just…gah, I want to shoot it. But this is the last installment of the little trilogy.

Now for Reviews:

Arcaina: Yeah, I was always hoping that Sakura would kick Kabuto's ass. Though now that this…new person has shown up in the Manga, I'm hoping that Sakura kicks their ass too.

Mimi the Witch: Thank you so much!

Yuri: I'm glad you liked that fight scene! Kabuto, white and Nerdy. LOL! I'm always going to think of him when I hear that song now.

Shadowangel101: Thanks a lot!

Fightinsurfgrl: Sorry, a cliffie seemed like a good way to end it! LOL! I didn't mean to make the update so long though!

C.A.M.E.O 1 and only: Wow! I've never met any of those teachers! LOL! When I do, I'm gonna have to keep in touch with them.

TheFoxGirlKitsune:…I am so sorry…He just…he had to go in this…I know, Itachi kind of grew on me too, despite the fact that he's a giant freak.


	10. An Apology

Title: An Apology  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: PG?  
Summery: So what does Sakura do when she's had enough of someone? Why punch them in the face of course.   
Author's Note: REVIEWS AND SUCH WILL BE ANSWERED AND SPOKEN OF AT THE END!!!  
Pairings: Sasu/Saku  
Disclaimer: (insert witty, 'I don't own it' pun here)

She had never wanted to punch someone in the face, so much in her entire life.

She was Haruno Sakura, captain of the medic ANBU squad.

Her job was to heal injuries.

But right now, she wanted nothing more than to inflict one.

Normally ANBU missions with Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba weren't bad. They laughed, they joked, and they got the job done. But then _he_ decided to some. Sakura hated it when she went on missions with Sasuke. Yes, of course he was her friend, but he was the biggest pain in the ass she has ever had to deal with.

Even more so, when it was his first mission with _her_ as Captain.

He didn't seem to want to believe that she had the ability to lead an ANBU squad into a battle. He had it set in his deranged mind that she was still the stupid, weak, annoying little girl that needed protection. Every single time that she gave an order, he would snort, or roll his eyes, sometimes, he would even open his mouth.

"That plan is flawed Sakura."

"It will never work."

"Why don't we just go around the back?"

"Don't hold hostages, just kill them."

"How did you ever become an ANBU?"

Now, she was standing there, her fists clenched and bleeding, a cut in her forehead making blood flow down her face, and dirt stitched into her uniform. Did Sasuke care? No. He just stood there, berating her. Yelling at her on how he thought that she screwed up.

"You should have hit them from behind, it was stupid Sakura. Your ignorance got the team wounded."

"Actually," Naruto piped up from the back, moving his arm in a circle. "I'm ok. Not hurt at all."

"I'm fine now that Sakura healed me up." Shikamaru added.

Kiba groaned. "I'm just hungry. And what's with you Uchiha, you don't even have a scratch on you."

"Shut up." Sasuke snapped at them before turning back to Sakura. "Why don't you use your head next time and actually think before you send them out. What if those ninja were stronger? We could have suffered major casualties."

Sakura's face started to turn red, her lips pursed and she clenched her fists so hard that she heard something crack. She had had enough of Uchiha Sasuke.

So what does Sakura do when she's had enough of someone?

Why punch them in the face of course.

Sasuke went down to the ground and looked up at the shadow of Sakura standing over him. She grabbed a fistful of the collar of his shirt and hauled him up so that her face was centimeters from his own.

"Sasuke." She growled, her eyes fierce.

"I am wounded. My chakra is nearly drained. I have not slept in two days. I am hungry. And worst of all, I have to pee like a friggin horse! Now is not the best time to piss me off! So listen up, Uchiha! I am the leader of this mission, and you can fall in line, or I will make you fall in line. If you want to act like a little snotty-ass bitch, do it on your own time and quit wasting mine!"

She dropped him back to the ground with a hard shove and straightened out, spitting some blood that got into her mouth before walking away.

Sasuke just sat there.

Stunned.

He just got yelled at.

By Sakura.

He couldn't believe it.

"Did…did she just tell me off?" He mumbled.

Naruto was laughing behind him. "Damn Sasuke! I was so waiting for that!"

Kiba smirked. "You know, she's pretty hot when she's pissed."

Naruto's laughter stopped and he and Sasuke both turned their head to the dog-boy.

"Shut up Kiba."

"But she is right." Shikamaru sighed. "Sasuke, you were out of line. You shouldn't judge her. I've been on missions with Sakura as leader before, and they've all come out successful. She's a good ninja, it's time you realized that."

With a grunt, the three boys pushed themselves off the ground and followed Sakura back to their camp, leaving Sasuke there to gloom.

Two weeks after the incident, Sasuke made a trip to the hospital.

It would have been just an ordinary trip, you know, had it not been at one in the morning.

He saw Sakura there, and he sighed before going up to her.

"Hey."

She shifted her eyes up to him from where she was leaning on the desk, and then grunted.

"What? Have you come to tell me how I should do this job too?"

Sasuke sighed. "Come with me."

"What?" She shook her head. "No."

"Just come with me, ok?"

She planted a hand on her hip. "Why should I?"

"Don't you trust me?"

Sakura snorted. "Well you haven't really given me much reason to, I mean after you broke my twelve-year-old heart repeatedly, then left me on a bench, oh and let's not forget that you tried to kill me after not seeing me for two and a half years. Yeah, trusting you is the first thing on my list."

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What could he say? She was right, after all.

"Look. Just…come with me."

Sakura pierced him with a long hard look, and then sighed sharply.

"…Okay."

She followed him out of the hospital, down the street, past Ino's flower shop, past the weaponry store, past the tiny corner store where Naruto attempted to steal porn as a kid, and finally to the coffee place that was across from the bookstore that Kakashi went to every Saturday.

"Coffee?" She raised a brow at Sasuke.

"You looked tired."

Sakura watched him go into the store, and she couldn't help herself. She started smiling.

She walked in after him, and ordered her drink, watching him pay, and then they sat at a small table in the corner.

"So, why are you doing this?"

Sasuke leaned back in his seat, and looked at anywhere in the store but her. "It's an…apology."

Green eyes widened. Sasuke apologized? Oh, the apocalypse was indeed on its way.

"I shouldn't have questioned your judgment on the mission." He muttered.

Sakura could tell it was hard for him to say all this, which is why she decided to tease him a little.

"Thank you." She replied genuinely. "Apology accepted. You know…this could qualify as a date."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "No."

"Yes it could." She grinned. "You ask me for coffee, well not ask more like demand, and then you pay for it and sit down with me. It's a date."

"Not a date. An apology."

"Oh is that what the kids call it now days?"

"Will you just drink your stupid coffee?"

"You're blushing."

"Shut up."

She grinned behind her cup at the torture that he was sitting in.

But she had to admit; it was still a nice gesture.

"So, Sasuke, when's the next time you're going to piss me off?"

"What?"

"Well," She stared innocently. "I was just wondering, so I could know when you're going to apologize again. I'll try to wear something other than bloody scrubs."

If it were possible, Sasuke would have turned into a lobster.

A/N: I have no idea where this one came from. I really just wanted to write the scene where Sakura chewed out Sasuke. The next chapter is going to be put up on Sunday, as my way of apologizing for being so late with the last one!

x.OAsamiMatsudaO.x: Thanks! I'm going to continue to keep writing, and when I'm done with these little one shots, I'm going to start an actual chapter story. Let's see how that one goes.

XXDragonheart6XX: Realist is right, lol!

Yuri: I love and hate Itachi as well. I'm glad you liked those last lines. Most of the dialogue that is used in these one shots is actually conversations that my friends and I have had. They're my inspiration! I'll be sure to check out some of your stuff!

Ninaleoliona: Thank you. I'm sorry to hear about yours as well

Mimi The Witch: Thanks a lot!

SasukeandNejicuties: Thanks so much!

Arcaina: I have heard the Emo song! It's on my Computer! My best friend and I quote it all the time! White and Nerdy, definitely. LOL

TheFoxGirlKitsune: I'm sorry!

C.A.M.E.O 1 and only: Awws! Maybe you can go next time.

Ur2troublesome90: Thanks!

Fightinsurfgrl: More stories definitely. Aww! Don't be late for work cause of me!


	11. A Lesson in Seduction

Title: A Lesson in Seduction  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: M  
Summery: Seduction was a tricky game, and she wasn't going to loose to him.  
Author's Note: This is to make up for the lateness of the last chapter. And also…cause we've been lacking in the Sasu/Saku smut department.  
Soundtrack: Would you believe me if I said "Buttons" by the Pussycat Dolls and "Suigintou No Yoru" by Noriaki Sugiyama?  
Pairings: SasuSaku  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

There was no possible way in hell that he could do this.

The Hokage assigned him this mission just to spite him.

His first mission off of Parole and this is what he got?

"This can't be happening." He muttered.

"Come on Sasuke, it isn't that bad, lighten up!"

"Shut…the hell up…dobe."

Uchiha Sasuke was a man.

A man with pride.

A man that went on actual ninja missions.

As a man.

Not. NOT. **N****OT **…as a woman.

"Sasuke?"

He looked over at the young woman on the couch.

Sakura had a pen in her mouth, and her green eyes narrowed in confusion. She was having trouble understanding why her Shishou assigned both Naruto and Sasuke _this_ mission. I mean, Naruto she could understand. But SASUKE? There was no way that he would do Naruto's jutsu to turn into a girl. It was a seduction mission for her two best friends, in which they had to pose as women, seduce a scummy diplomat, and then kill him.

"Sasuke, why didn't Shishou assign this to, you know, actual women?"

The avenger sighed. "She said that all of the capable kunoichi would be on missions next week, and she was counting on us."

"Then she sent you to me?"

"Yep!" Naruto smiled at her. "She said that you were going to be our coach on how to seduce like a chick. But Sakura, I'm pretty much not gonna have a problem with that."

The petal haired girl raised a brow. "What makes you so sure?"

He shrugged. "I seduced Ero-sennin no problem."

Sakura sighed and then pointed to the door.

"Get out of my apartment Naruto. I'll deal with you later."

The blond boy grinned and waved to his best friend. "Later teme! Good luck!"

"Fuck you."

"Aww, I love you too."

The Uchiha growled. "I'll friggin kill you."

Naruto just laughed and walked towards the door, opening it and then slamming it closed after he left.

And then there were two.

Sakura bit her lip. How the hell was she supposed to teach Sasuke how to seduce like a girl? I mean yeah, how guys seduce and girls seduce was totally different. But Sasuke didn't have to seduce. He was just naturally hot. That was pretty much all the seduction he needed. Even leaning against her wall, he looked hot. It wasn't fair, he wasn't even trying and she mentally needed a bucket. I mean look at him! With his dark hair that seemed to look like he just woke up in a chicken coop, with his broad shoulders and…muscled stomach that she knew was hiding under that black shirt.

"Sakura."

His arms that were so toned, they even had that little cut that showed the muscles.

"Sakura?"

And his hands, oh god, his hands. They were big. Sakura liked his hands, they were…a man's hands. Calloused to show years of holding onto a weapon, and…

"Sakura!"

Jade eyes snapped up to him.

"Yeah! Sorry! What?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Um…" Shit. Think fast. Don't say that you were checking him out. Don't say that you were checking him out. "Um…I…I was just thinking that you should transform now. Kind of wondering how you would look as a girl."

Nice save!

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Tch."

He looked her straight in the eye as he held up his hands in a hand seal.

"Whatever happens in this apartment from now on, never leaves. You don't tell anyone. This never happened."

"Right." She nodded.

Sasuke inwardly gulped before he gathered himself.

"Oiroke no Jutsu." He muttered.

There was a puff of smoke, and in Sasuke's place was a tall, skinny, and attractive female. She had Sasuke's raven hair; only it was long and loose. Her face was more rounded, and her body was definitely not that of a male's. She wasn't too skinny, but she certainly wasn't fat. Her breasts, to Sakura's surprise, weren't Naruto's normal huge ones when he did it. They were…actually about the same size as her's.

"Sasuke?" She questioned.

"What?" A husky female voice grunted out.

"Nothing!" Sakura grinned, "Just checking if it was you."

"Annoying."

"Oh yeah, you're Sasuke."

Of course it was. Sakura mentally slapped herself. Just because he looked like a girl, didn't mean that his personality would change any. She sat up straight on the couch and looked up at Him…her…him. Sakura was getting confused now.

"Ok," she sighed. "Let's start with the basics. Walk over to me, only try doing it like a girl would."

Fem-Sasuke shrugged and began to walk, his hands in his pockets. Sasuke appeared in front of Sakura and then stared down at her.

"What the hell was that?" Sakura demanded.

"Walking."

"No, that was guy-walk. You like, clomped over here. Girls don't clomp. Especially when they're trying to be sexy. Do it again."

Sasuke gave another growl of annoyance and then went back to his spot by her fireplace before walking towards Sakura again, this time trying to keep his feet in front of each other.

"That was better." Sakura smiled. "But you need to use your hips more. Hips control the butt, and the butt controls the men. Watch."

She stood up and motioned for Sasuke to take her spot on the couch. Sasuke flopped down and then crossed his arms over his chest, eyes widening when he remembered that there were boobs there, and then just let his arms drop to his sides.

"OK, now you need to watch me closely. Also, facial expressions don't hurt. A bite on the lip, a lowering of the eye lids, a little smirk. Guys go crazy for crap like that."

Sakura stood in front of the unlit fireplace, in the same position that Sasuke was at, before holding out a finger to him.

"It helps to put a hand on your hip, and to push your chest out just a little bit."

She then put a hand on her hip and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were a slightly darker shade of green. Her lips formed into a tiny half pout half smirk, and she stared him down, slowly walking in front of him, her breasts pushed out slightly and her hips swished a very little bit when she walked.

She stopped right in front of him, and then sighed, her face changing from sexy-Sakura to every day-Sakura.

"Like that. Now you try, if you want to be in like, a lusty kind of mood. Just imagine someone that you think is attractive standing in front of you."

Sasuke gulped and stood up and moved back over to the fireplace, now self proclaimed stage, he closed his eyes and tried to remember what Sakura had done. It wasn't that hard, his mouth started watering when she started. But damn, it would have been a lot easier had he used his Sharingan.

Before he knew what was happened, he stood directely in front of her. Sakura smiled up at him.

"Very good! I think you've got that down. The next part would be the actual process of getting in physical contact and talking. It helps to lower your voice a few octaves."

Sasuke tried, while turning red, and within ten minutes, he was growling on the couch.

"This is stupid!"

Sakura sighed. "Maybe it would be easier if Naruto did this."

"Naruto?" Sasuke's jaw clenched. Oh no, he was not going to be put through all this to have Naruto take the whole mission on his own. He stared at Sakura, who was chewing on the sleeve of her green long-sleeved shirt. It was V-neck, and she had on her white pajama-shorts. Sasuke told himself that was the reason that this was hard. Because Sakura's shorts were so…short! He was having trouble concentrating because of her attire. Not because she herself was hot, but because her clothes were. Yeah, that's it. Totally.

"I have an idea." Sakura let go of the shirtsleeve and grinned at him. "Change back to normal, and go back to the fireplace."

"Thank God."

There was a hand seal and more smoke, and Sasuke was back to his normal guy self. Sakura giggled.

"For the record, I like you better as a guy than a girl."

"For the record," He replied. "Me too. What's this plan of yours?"

Sakura lifted a finger up and smiled. "Try to seduce me as a guy. Like yourself."

"What?"

"Seduce me." She repeated.

"Why?"

"Well, if we find out how you seduce as a guy then maybe we can incorporate some of that into how to do it as a girl. It would help you out."

Sasuke shrugged and stood, moving to the fireplace again. He turned around to face her, and saw her let out a shaky breath before moving her feet underneath her.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" He smirked. "I haven't even started and already you're worked up." 

She flushed, red creeping up her neck as her jaw dropped. "I am not!"

His smirk grew. "Oh really?"

"Yes really! This is professional!"

Sasuke took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "I don't think so."

"Well it is."

Another step was taken; a hand came out of his pocket.

Sakura gulped.

"See?" His voice was growley, it reminded her of a wolf. "Right there."

"W-what?"

Another step.

"You gulped."

"W-well I'm certainly not going to spit. Gulping is a natural thing to do."

Another step. He was in front of her now. He bent over, his face inches away from her's, the smirk on his face just begging to sneer at her. His eyes shifted to her, and his hand was on the back of the couch, holding him above her.

Sakura was sucking in shaky breaths and her heart was beating a mile a minute. She bit her lower lip as her gaze traveled to his mouth, his next sentence spilling out of that delicious smirk.

"Well," He mumbled. "What now, Sakura?"

Her name was but an exhaled breath, and she shivered, shifting her legs underneath her.

"Now…now…would…be the p-physical…"

Suddenly, his lips were over hers. It wasn't passionate, or hungry, or anything like that.

It was temptation.

He kissed her, his lips firmly planted over hers, and his tongue darted out to trace the seam of her lips before he pulled away.

Sakura sighed, and opened her eyes to stare directly into his gleaming ones.

It was official.

Sasuke was sin in human form.

It wasn't fair. She was supposed to be the teacher, she was supposed to teach him how to seduce, and here he was just…just…seducing her! And doing it well! It annoyed her to no end. Two could play this.

Seduction was a tricky game, and she wasn't going to loose to him.

"Well," His lips brushed against hers as he spoke. "Sakura?"

She growled. "Fuck you, Uchiha!"

Her mouth smashed against his, and her hands became fists in the collar of his shirt, throwing him down onto the couch as she moved on top of him, straddling him as her tongue darted out and forced it's way into his mouth, beginning the battle for dominance.

Sasuke responded instantly. His arms came around her, one hand fisting roughly in her hair, holding and pushing her mouth on his and the other hand was on the small of her back, his fingers pushing up under her shirt to feel the cool skin that lie beneath.

He had no clue Sakura could be like this. She was…brutal! It was a side of her that he had never seen, and he liked it. Her hands were tugging in his hair as they gave each other bruising kisses. She pressed her whole body against his, and when he pushed forward she grabbed his shirt and lifted it over his head, breaking their kiss.

"Is this part of the lesson?" He smirked.

Sakura gave a coy grin before latching her mouth back onto his, her hands leaving his hair and moving to slide down his neck, tracing his shoulders and arms before moving to his stomach. Sakura groaned against his lips and she felt the ripples of muscles under her fingers. Sasuke smirked against her mouth and moved his lips down to her neck.

She never knew she could feel this much. It was like having too much alcohol and drunkenly going down a waterslide. Her brain completely shut down and she could only think two things.

Sasuke. Naked.

His teeth grazed the juncture where her neck met her shoulder and her hands tightened at his waist as she sighed. Sasuke gave that spot a few kisses and figure eights with his tongue before he completely bit down on it, causing the girl on top of him to buck and grind her hips against his as a moan came out.

Sasuke growled when her hips shifted against his, he pulled away from her neck and then pulled up on the bottom of her shirt, lifting it over her head. He stared down at the breasts that were concealed inside the bra and then back up at her. Sakura's lips were puffy and bruised, her neck was scratched and bruises were starting to appear there as well. Her hair was a mess and her chest was heaving up and down with heavy breaths. But she looked thoroughly pleased and waiting for him to make the next move.

Uchiha Sasuke needs a lesson in seduction. HA!

A/N: So this is to make up for the lateness of the final chapter of the other chapter! I hope you all liked it. Believe it or not, the song I was listening to when writing this is one that Sasuke's Seiyuu sings. You can watch a fan-made video for it here:

http ://youtube. com/watch? v5oTS2WcaLDM

(Take out the spaces of course)

Thanks everyone! Please review! It makes me happy! (I say as I smile happily)


	12. Like You Know Me

Title: Like you know me  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: K  
Summery: There was no one that knew those three like Copy Kakashi did.  
Author's Note: Just a little something that came to my head  
Soundtrack: "Heal Over" KT Tunstall  
Pairings: None  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

There was no one that knew those three like Copy Kakashi did.

Kakashi watched his kids on missions. He saw things in their relationship that he was sure even they didn't see.

He knew that Sasuke, when he was twelve, was the first at everything. The Uchiha would walk two steps ahead of the others, he would eat his dinner first, finish his dinner first, be the first one to take out his kunai in a battle, and the first to fall asleep at night.

Naruto and Sakura of course knew these things about him too, but there was something Kakashi knew that they never caught on to.

Sasuke would walk two steps ahead of the others so that if he heard something, he would be able to alert his team first.

He would eat his dinner first; because he secretly loved the way that Sakura cooked the fish.

He would finish his dinner first, because he never got seconds, and let his team finish it off.

He would be the first one to take out his kunai in battle so that he could be prepared to leap in front of Naruto or Sakura if they needed it.

He would be the first to fall asleep at night, because he would listen to the sounds of Sakura and Naruto talking over dinner, and even though he tried to stay up, the ringing of their laughter lulled him to sleep.

They were happy, and all was well in his world.

Kakashi knew that Naruto, when he was twelve, was always second at everything. He would walk in between Sasuke and Sakura, start his meal after Sasuke did, form hand seals when others needed him, and fall asleep after he said goodnight to Sakura.

Naruto would walk between Sasuke and Sakura, just to have the feeling of people surrounding him, something that he never got before.

He would start his meal after Sasuke, because he always complimented Sakura first, "I bet it's going to be good Sakura-chan", he knew just how much even the smallest compliment could mean to a person.

He formed hand seals when other's needed him, because he cherished the feeling of being needed. He loved having someone ask him for help, because it proved he wasn't useless, he could do things and make a difference.

He would fall asleep after he said good night to Sakura, because he loved the sound of someone saying, "Sleep tight, Naruto".

He wasn't alone.

Kakashi knew that Sakura, when she was twelve, was last. She would eat last, bathe last, ask for help last, and fall asleep last.

She would eat last, because she wanted to make sure that her team mates got their full supply of food for future battles.

She would bathe last, well frankly because she was still girly and refused to sleep next to a bunch of smelly boys.

She would ask for help last, because she wanted to put of a false curtain. She wanted to make them think that for once, she could handle a battle on her own.

She would fall asleep last, because she wanted to make sure that Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi were all still alive and well, and the sound of their heart beats and deep sighs reassured her of it.

She cherished the times she spent with them.

Over time, Kakashi saw his kids fall apart.

He saw Sasuke give up, and leave the group.

He saw Naruto reassure everyone, even though he himself didn't think that hope was still there.

He saw Sakura try to smile, when her heart was breaking with each breath that she took.

It nearly killed Kakashi.

He didn't want this. He didn't want them to suffer outside of the battlefield. It was as if his own childhood was coming back to haunt him.

But what made him smile, was how strong they became from it.

Sasuke returned to the fold.

And ten years later, Kakashi noticed more things about him.

He still would walk two steps ahead of the others. Because he still felt the need to protect them.

He would be the last to eat. Because the others needed food far more than him, and who knew Sakura could be such a pig.

He would walk in the middle. Because now it was him who needed to feel accepted by people.

Naruto had gotten a thousand times stronger.

He would pull his kunai out first, because he was the most gun-ho about everything.

He would be the first to eat, because he realized that by stuffing his gob it would make the burnt fish go past his taste buds.

He would be the last to sleep, because he would stay up, and watch their peaceful faces, and then drift off with a smile plastered on his mouth.

Sakura was the strongest of them all.

She would eat second, because it usually took her a minute to get her nose out of her medical book and realize that Kakashi, once again, burned the fish.

She would walk and brush her hand against Sasuke's, because he needed to know that they would never shy away from him.

She would ask for help last, because she was far too busy healing every one else's wounds to open her mouth.

She would fall asleep after Sasuke, because she would slide her hand into his limp one, and then grab Naruto's (who returned the gesture happily). Because if anything happened to them while she was sleeping, she would be the first to know.

Kakashi saw all these things, he's been watching them for years. He knew nearly every thing about them.

Sasuke always had Tomatoes in his fridge.

Naruto always had a cupboard full of instand ramen.

Sakura always needed Strawberries somewhere in her house.

Sasuke snored.

Naruto drooled.

Sakura talked in her sleep.

He saw everything about them.

He knew how much they cared for each other.

But what they didn't realize…was how much he cared for them.

That's why in reality, Kakashi walked five steps ahead, he had his hand on his Kunai at all times, he always ate last, and fell asleep last.

But he would let them think that they were hot stuff.

Until the day they got teams of their own, and find out his secret.

A/N: I…am so freaking tired. BUT! REVIEW ANSWERS FRO YOU ALL!

Hugsanimekisses04: Wow, this was a long review. I LOVE IT! I'm so glad that you like these one shots so much, it makes me really happy. I'm so glad whenever people say that my stories made them cry. I know, that sounded kind of sadistic. But I love bringing emotions out in people. You're right, the Gai/Kakashi thing would have been funny, I was just so involved in trying to get Itachi there, I didn't use all the characters to their full potential. I apologize for that.

SasukeandNejicuties: Thanks a lot!

Uncarbonated: Thank you! I love making Sakura a strong character, because unlike what others might thing, she actually is really very strong. And I hate it when Sasuke is OOC, so I try to keep him as in-character as I possibly can.

C.A.M.E.O.1 and only: I know, I know, no lemon. I'm sorry for that. I just, I seriously get close to writing one, but I can never bring myself to actually finish a lemon. I just…can't. I'd get all red and my nose would burst.

Arcaina: I actually got this idea after hearing all the Seiyuu's from Naruto do a sexy jutsu, I found it on youtube. And when I heard Sasuke's sexy jutsu, I burst out laughing and just had to write it. The seduction classes, I'm sure they had to do. Historically speaking, that's what kunoichi did, they posed as whores and such to get information from men at their sexual peek. Then they'd…you know, kill them. At least the men would die happy, I guess.

I seriously want to answer all of your reviews, but I stayed up till 3 in the morning Friday night, and then 1 in the morning last night, and woke up at eight in the morning on both occurrences…so I'm like falling asleep in this chair right now.

Until next time!


	13. Thank You

Title: Thank you  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: K  
Summery: But maybe Naruto expected this to happen one of these days; perhaps that is why before he left for all his missions he gave Sasuke the same order.  
Author's Note: I have no clue where this came from. And I apologize for it being so late! Real life came up and bit me in the ass  
Soundtrack: "Keep holding on" Avril Lavigne  
Pairings: A tad bit Sasu/Saku  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

Naruto is her rock.

He was always there, always steady and unchanging, and he never failed to make her smile.

That's what made him her best friend.

Sasuke understood that. Often he would come back to the apartment that the three of them shared and he would find Sakura and Naruto laughing on the sofa over something on the TV. Occasionally he would peek into Naruto's room and find Sakura asleep in his arms, her small hand clenched into his shirt and tearstains on her cheeks. Naruto would just shake his head at Sasuke and rub Sakura's back soothingly, making her relax into him.

Sakura hardly ever went to Sasuke for things. Maybe its because she didn't trust him after how he treated her when they were younger, or maybe it was because she didn't want him to think of her as helpless.

So it was a surprise to both of them when she barged into Naruto's room and found the Uchiha in there instead.

"Um…where's Naruto?" Her voice shook slightly and it sounded like she was trying with all her might to hold herself together for Sasuke. Of course she was. She didn't want to show him weakness. She only showed that to Naruto.

"On a mission."

"Oh." She bit her lip. "Why are you in here?"

Sasuke held up a basket of laundry as an explanation. "It's my week to do it, right?"

The pink haired girl nodded, and then turned to walk out.

He wasn't going to stop her; he didn't plan on it anyway. He was perfectly content with the fact that she didn't want to tell him what was wrong. He probably wouldn't care anyway. Naruto was the one who knew all of her, who could pin point the way that her shoulders tensed when she was upset, or how she would rub her temples when she was stressed. Sasuke was fine with that. Sakura was his teammate, nothing more. But maybe Naruto expected this to happen one of these days; perhaps that is why before he left for all his missions he gave Sasuke the same order.

"Take care of Sakura for me."

So, because Sasuke wasn't one to back out of promises, he spoke out.

"Did something happen at the hospital today?"

Sakura stopped in the doorway, turning to face him.

"Do you really want to know?"

Sasuke shrugged.

The medic shook her head. "You wouldn't listen."

"I could pretend to."

She smiled and huffed out a laugh, then sighed. "You win."

She crossed the room over to Naruto's bed and flopped down on it.

"You know Kyosuke?"

Sasuke racked his memory with the name.

"Um…"

"He was the little boy I took care of in the hospital. I said that he reminded me of you, because he called me annoying a lot and gave one syllable answers."

Oh, now he remembered.

"Yeah."

Sakura sighed and ran a hand over her face. "He wasn't doing well. His heart wasn't strong enough. I…I sat with him…tried to tell him to stay strong, and to wait a while longer."

Sasuke sat on the bed next to her, watching as unshed tears coated over her eyes, and her face turned a slight shade of pink.

"He told me…that he wasn't afraid of dying. He said that it would be better this way…but that he was happy that I stayed with him and never gave up on him. He said…that I reminded him of his older sister. She died on a Chunin mission last year."

She released a shaky breath and tears slid down her temple to the mattress below her. Sasuke's brow furrowed. He now remembered all the times Sakura came home from work and spoke of the boy. She must have grown close to him. That was always a problem with Sakura and Naruto; they became to personally involved with their jobs. They let people into their lives and in the end it just hurt them more. Sasuke didn't know the boy, so he didn't feel the pain that his teammate felt. But he knew Sakura, he knew her very well, so it made him uncomfortable to see her cry.

"Is he…"

"He's dead." Sakura replied. "Time of death, Three forty five pm."

Sasuke tried to think of something that Naruto would say to her at this time. "What…what was the last thing he said to you?"

Sakura was silent for a while, like it hurt her to say it. Tears fell harder from her eyes, leaving little streams and dampening her hair by her ears.

"He said…Thank you."

Oh.

That Sasuke could understand.

Sakura sobbed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What is it with people leaving me with just those words?"

Sasuke frowned and looked away. What the hell was he supposed to say to that? There was absolutely nothing that he could possible reply with. That was kind of a stab at him too, and she knew it. He didn't know what the boy intended when he said it to her, he just knew what he had meant when he said it.

That's when it hit him. Sakura said this child was like him. Maybe…maybe they meant the same things.

Sasuke stood and stared down at her, waiting for her to meet his eyes before he spoke.

"Perhaps…he wanted to thank you for reminding him that there was still someone who cared about him."

Sakura's green orbs widened, and her mouth dropped a little. She searched his eyes, and he smirked at her, then she smiled softly.

"If that's the case…than he should know…I'll always care about him."

REVIEWS:

Thank all of you so very much for supporting these stories this far! And for being so patient for this chapter, I'm sorry it's not longer because it really should be. Real life came and hit me, but school is done, and I'm ok for writing now. I'm also working on my chapter story which will be out pretty soon, so keep an eye out for it in the Naruto section! I wish I could reply to all the reviews, but I'm running short on time here, so I'll answer a few.

SasukeandNejicuties: Wow! I'm really honored that you think that! I'm the first one you look for? Really? LOL! That's how I am with these stories called "Pause" and "The Phantom of Spring" written by Twitch and Spaz, check them out, they're amazing!

Arcaina: I see Team Seven as a family as well. Only for me Kakashi is like…the lazy uncle, lol! Sakura is definitely the mama hen to them all though, making sure that everyone is doing all right and there are no rifts.

Yuri: Thank you! Yes, I think that Kakashi really loves those three, even if he doesn't show it.

Moonpi8: Wow! That's a huge compliment to be said my writing is similar to Kishimotos. I'm honored! I know, Sasuke sometimes sways over the OC line, but I try as hard as I can to keep him in character.


	14. Family

Title: Family.  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: K  
Summery: In his studies of the female species, sometimes you didn't need to know what was wrong. Sometimes girls just needed a hug.  
Author's Note: This is kind of a dedication to a dear friend of mine.  
Soundtrack: "Naruto Ondo" by Naruto Uzumaki  
Pairings: None, expect for a Naru/Saku friend thing.  
Disclaimer: No I don't own it.

It had started as a simple argument with her mother.

The matriarch of the Haruno clan simply didn't like that her daughter was taking on so many missions.

"You are only seventeen Sakura!"

"Yes! I am only a seventeen-year-old JOUNIN Mom! I can handle these things! This is what I was trained for!"

Sakura's mother planted her hands on her hips.

"There are only so many things that you can do Sakura! Do you know how much I worry when you're on these missions!"

Sakura gave a hollow laugh and ran her hands through her rosy hair. "You were the one who told me that I could be what I wanted! You were the one who said that you supported me in whatever I did! And you have no reason to worry! I'm mostly stuck with Kakashi-sensei and he's done a good job at keeping me alive so far! He would rather die than let anything happen to me! And Naruto-"

"Oh yes," Ms. Haruno scoffed. "_Naruto._ Now there's someone who I want protecting my child."

Sakura's mouth snapped shut. Her emerald orbs widened and she stared in shock at her mother. By now the teenager's face had paled seven shades. That's what the fight really was about wasn't it? It was about Naruto.

"This is about Naruto, isn't it Mom?"

Her Mother sighed and rubbed her temple. "Sakura, you don't know the whole story with him, all right? The boy is dangerous."

The medic pursed her lips. "Because he's holding the kyuubi in him, right?"

At her Mother's shocked expression she gave a tight smile. "Oh yes, Mom. I know about that. I've known about that since I was fifteen. But here's something you don't know. Naruto is _not_ that monster. He is my teammate and my friend. My_ best_ friend to be exact. So you might want to watch what you say about him around me."

"Is that a threat young lady?"

"No Mother…it's a promise. I will not tolerate anyone talking badly about him. He has done nothing but protect this village his entire life, and this is how you repay him? You don't even know him!"

With that last sentence, Sakura turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. The only thing to be heard in the house was her feet stomping up the stairs. She ran into her room, and went straight to her bed, pulling out the backpack that she kept for missions under her bed. Sakura slung it over her shoulder and then ran back down the stairs. As soon as her hand touched the doorknob, the curt voice of her mother rang through her ears.

"Haruno Sakura, where do you think that you are going?"

She turned her head halfway, frowning. "To stay with someone who isn't such an ignorant bitch."

Sakura turned the handle, and walked out into the cool fall air.

It was quiet tonight; the only sound for miles was her feet crunching on the road. She adjusted the bag over her shoulder and shook her head in anger. How could her mother even say that? How long had she felt this way? Why hadn't she ever taken the time to get to know Naruto?

The girl's skin burned with anger and sorrow at her friend's sake. Why couldn't people just see him for who he was? They should know the difference between the two.

When she passed Ichiraku she knew that she was close to where she wanted to go. She jogged across the street to the apartment building that was on the corner. Sakura had been here so many times before that she didn't even have to think about how many flights of stairs she had to climb before she reached the top. She tucked her hands under her armpits as she felt tears sting her eyes. This whole night was just coming back to replay in her head. Everything that her mother said, everything that she said, and to her surprise she didn't regret one bit of it.

Sakura pulled open the door that led to the top floor's hallway and went straight to the third door on the left. She knocked three times, and sniffled once.

The door swung open and a tall blonde boy greeted her.

"Sakura-chan."

Green eyes studied him.

Naruto was sweaty. His black shirt had a wet ring trailing down his neck, and it shown on his skin a little as well when the light hit it a certain way. His shoes were off, and his orange pants were missing, navy blue boxers replacing them. His cerulean orbs stared at her worriedly. It wasn't like her to show up at ten-thirty at night.

Just staring at him, at how worried he looked, at how caring he was. It opened up a floodgate inside of her and the tears streamed down her cheeks. She threw herself at him, her arms coming around his middle as she sobbed into his chest.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, but closed the door and wrapped his arms around her. One of his hands rubbed her back soothingly as the other came to cup the back of her head. He began to sway from side to side, letting the girl's shaking body sag onto his. He didn't know what was wrong with her. But he did know three things:

Sakura was crying.

Sakura was hugging him.

Sakura came to him.

That was really all that he needed to know. In his studies of the female species, sometimes you didn't need to know what was wrong. Sometimes girls just needed a hug. That was fine with Naruto, he just so happened to be manly enough to admit that he liked hugs. He had murmured soothing words to his best friend's hair and tried to calm her down enough to get her breathing to regulate. When he felt her take several deep breaths, he stopped swaying.

"You smell gross." Her muffled voice came from his chest.

He huffed out a laugh. "Well, I was training."

She sniffed and pulled away from him, rubbing her eyes. "In your apartment?"

"Chakra control. I guess it takes a lot out of me."

Naruto pushed her hair behind her ear and finally got a good look at her.

Damn Sakura was a mess.

Her face was all red and puffy, and she kept rubbing her eyes, trying to stop crying. She was in pajamas, green and pink striped pants and a green tank top. He rubbed her upper arms and bent down a little to look her in the eye.

"Hey…Sakura-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?"

Sakura sighed and then met his eyes, looking so broken and weak that it nearly made his heart shatter.

"Can I stay at your place tonight on account of having an idiot for a mother?"

Naruto smiled softly and nodded, walking away from her and extending out his arm.

"Welcome to my humble abode…this is the living room. The kitchen is over there, feel free to take whatever…but it's mostly ramune and ramen…there may be some vegetables that Kakashi brought over last week. I don't like to touch those, though. Um… back there is the bathroom. The closet is there. And my bedroom is right over there."

He watched as Sakura smirked at him.

"What?!"

"Naruto…I've been over here before. I think I know where everything is."

"Right…well, damn, forgive me for trying to be a good host."

Sakura laughed and punched his arm lightly. "I'm only kidding."

"Right…well," He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I'll take the couch tonight. You can go ahead and have the bed. It's kinda small, but it's a lot more comfortable."

Sakura held her hands up. "I couldn't do that. I'm imposing. I'll take the couch, you go ahead and have your bed."

Naruto frowned. "No. I'm the guy. I take the couch."

"Ok, that's sexist, and this is your house. I'll take the couch."

"Sakura-chan, this isn't really your choice. I'm sleeping on the couch."

"I don't want to sleep in your bed."

"I don't have cooties."

"I just would feel rude!"

Naruto groaned and threw up his hands in the air. "Well the only other option is for both of us to sleep in the bed. And while I don't care, I don't want you to like…hit me for being perverted or something."

The pink haired girl shrugged. "I don't mind. Just so long as you don't 'accidentally' touch my chest or something."

The future Hokage shrugged. "Sometimes these things happen."

"Naruto."

"Kidding!"

He made his way towards the bedroom and Sakura followed him. When they entered the small room she dumped her bag on the ground by the door and sighed.

"Ok, well, I'm going to go shower and spray some smelly-be-gone, so make yourself comfy. I'll be back."

When he left, Sakura took this chance to look around. There was a desk in the corner with a few books lying on it and a scroll unrolled. All over his floor were scrolls and open books, a few kunai lying in the corner. His leaf headband was next to his bed on the nightstand with his alarm clock. To the other corner of the room was a bookshelf, filled halfway with books and scrolls and the other half with pictures. Sakura chose to look at those first.

The first one that caught her eye was the picture of the original team seven. With Sasuke and Naruto glaring at each other, Kakashi having a hand on each boy's head, and Sakura in the middle, smiling.

The next was one that Sakura took. It was of Kiba, Shikamaru, Naruto, Chouji, and Neji all at the Korean Barbeque place. They all looked pissed off except for Chouji, who was happily munching away on food. He probably stole all of theirs.

After that was of Kakashi, Sai, and her. They were outside of Ichiraku and it was a bright summer day. Sakura remembered it perfectly, because right after the picture was taken Sai had questioned why Naruto would want to remember such an ugly face like hers. That's also the day that she accidentally broke Sai's nose.

The last picture, she had a replica of. It was taken when her and Naruto went to the movies last spring. He saw a photo booth and immediately dragged her into it. Four pictures were taken, one right after the other. The top photo had them making funny faces, the one below had them smiling, after that one showed Naruto hugging Sakura to him, and the last one showed Sakura hitting him over the head because he did a 'boob graze' as Kiba liked to call it.

Sakura sighed, smiling at the memories before she turned and walked to Naruto's bed. She flopped down on it and crawled under the covers, scooting all the way to the corner so he could have the most room.

Within five minutes, Naruto came back into the room in fresh clothes and smelling good. He smiled at Sakura lying there in the corner of his bed, the covers pulled up to her chin and her eyes watching him move around.

"You look cozy." He laughed.

"I'm totally trading my mattress for yours. I almost got knocked out as soon as I flopped on it."

"Yeah, I would trade this in for a bigger bed if I didn't like the mattress so much."

Naruto flicked the lights off and then went to the bed. He pulled the quilt down and slid in next to her, lying on his side so that he could face her, yet leaving a respectable about of distance apart. He adjusted his head on the pillow and then smiled at her.

"So, Sakura-chan. What's up?"

"I just…" She bit her lip. "I got into a fight with my Mom."

"About what?"

"Me being a ninja. And…other things."

"What? You being a ninja bugs her?"

"I know." Sakura sighed and her hand appeared on the pillow in between their heads. "I just…she's worried that I won't come back. Like I'll end up like my Dad did."

"What happened to your Dad?" He questioned.

"When I was four he died on a mission. He was a jounin in the interrogation unit."

Naruto's mouth dropped open. He never knew that. "How come you didn't tell us about him?"

She shrugged. "You and Sasuke-kun had bigger issues than mine. It didn't seem all that important in comparison."

"Of course it's important, Sakura-chan! He was your Dad! You loved him! Just because our problems are a little more than yours doesn't make yours any less real! You could have told us!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's over Naruto, you know now. Besides, that wasn't the only thing the fight was about, it was also about who I…hang out…with."

Naruto's mouth shut. "Oh."

"Yeah…"

He inhaled and then smiled at her. "Well, I guess your Mom's right then. I mean, I don't want to be the cause of a rift with your family. So maybe we just…shouldn't hang out."

"Bull shit!" She hissed. "That's total bull shit! It is my life and I will hang out with whomever I please. She doesn't get a say in it. She doesn't even know you! Naruto…"

Sakura saw that his hand had moved up on the pillow next to hers, and she grabbed it.

"You…are _not _the fox. You are you. You're Uzumaki Naruto. You are a badass shinobi and the future Hokage of this village. You're…you're…you're my best friend. You…Kaka-sensei, even Sai…you guys are my family. As long as I have you, I don't need anything else. I will protect our family…that's my nindo."

Naruto's eyes searched hers, and she saw that his baby blues were glazed over with unshed tears. She smiled and her thumb brushed his wrist.

"And besides…you get hurt so much I'd be out of a job if I left you, so I have to stay…for money's sake."

He laughed. "Oh, well if it's for your job, I suppose that we can continue to hang out."

They both giggled and squeezed each other's hand.

"Sakura-chan…?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you…for being my friend."

"No, Naruto." She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. "Thank you."

Thank you for protecting me.

Thank you for caring about me.

Thank you for being there when I need you most.

Thank you…for teaching me that it's okay to be myself.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"I just thought I should tell you…I found a coach roach in here the other night, and I haven't been able to find it since."

"WHAT?!"

A/N: I suppose if you wanted to, you could take this as a Naru/Saku. But I was thinking of just the friendship aspect of it at the time. I think that Naruto and Sakura are very dear to each other, and after the crap they've been through together; they've grown very close. Ok, REVIEW TIME!

Baika-chan: yeah, it's really hard to keep Sasuke in character for things like that.

C.A.M.E.O. 1 and only: I totally agree!

Arcaina: It made you cry? Really? LOL! Wow! I didn't think that anything I wrote really made people cry. Thank you!

SasukeandNejicuties: Thank you! I swing either way for SasuSaku and NaruSaku, mostly I go over to SasuSaku, but if the plot is good enough, I'll read NaruSaku. I mostly think that Naruto and Sakura are just really close friends who are always there for each other.

Thanks everyone for your reviews! I read each and every one and take them all to heart! They mean so much to me!


	15. In the Darkness

Title: In the darkness  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: T?  
Summery: She could feel the weight of the floor, telling her someone was in the room with her, and they had a killing intention.  
Author's Note: This long chapter is an apology for being so so so incredibly late.  
Soundtrack: ANY UVERworld song. Seriously, I am obsessed with UVERworld lately.  
Pairings: Sasu/Saku Neji/Tenten  
Disclaimer: (insert witty, 'I don't own it' pun here)

"Mama?"

Sakura turned her head to the little boy that was standing in the hallway of the kitchen. She smiled to herself as she saw her husband in pint-sized form. The only way that you could ever possibly tell that the seven-year-old boy was hers, was the green eyes that they shared.

"What is it Shuichi?"

"Mikoto and I finished brushing our teeth. Are you going to keep your promise?"

Behind her son, a little girl with dark chocolate hair and shining charcoal eyes appeared, tugging on her older brother's sleeve.

"Mama promise to wake us up when Daddy got home, right?"

Shuichi nodded his head and stared at his Mother, who put her hands on her hips and raised a brow at him.

"Ah, but I said only if you are in bed at nine o'clock, and right now you have…." She glanced at the clock above the stove. "Three minutes. If I go into your rooms and you're not in your beds, then you have to wait until morning to say hello to Daddy."

The five year old squealed and grabbed her older brother's hand, pulling him out of the doorway.

"Come on Nii-san! Come on! I wanna tell Daddy about my first day in the academy! Come on!!!"

"Stop pulling!"

The rose haired woman grinned as her children rushed out the door. She listened as they ran down the hallway, and one of them tripped, until they reached their bedrooms.

If someone told Sakura ten years ago, that when she was nineteen years old she would marry Uchiha Sasuke, she would have stared at them in shock. Then if they told her she would have two children in the academy by the time she was twenty-seven. She would have laughed in their face.

But that was her life now, and she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Sakura glanced at the clock, and then made her way to the hall, following the path that her son just took. She went into the doorway of his room and found the boy lying in his bed staring up at the fan on his ceiling.

"Shuichi?" Her brow furrowed at the perplexed look on his face.

"Mama…when did Daddy get his sharingan?"

Sakura smirked and ventured into the room, sitting on the side of his bed. "He never told you?"

"No."

"It was when we were twelve. It appeared when he risked his life to save mine and Naruto's."

"When you were twelve?"

"Mm-hmm. I wouldn't worry too much on it, Shuichi." She ran a hand through his raven hair. "You'll get it when the time is right. Don't force it."

"Okay. Night Mama."

She leaned down and embraced him as his small, but strong, arms came around her neck. Sakura kissed his forehead and smiled at him before turning away and walking into the hall.

Shuichi watched at his Mother stopped abruptly and then sighed.

"Uchiha Mikoto, what did I tell you?"

"I just wanted to wait for him at the door!"

"Well you can wait for him in your bed, do not make me tell you again."

Shuichi smiled softly as he heard his little sister whine and watched his Mother disappear from the doorway. Turning to his side he heaved a sigh as he looked at the clock on his nightstand. He closed his eyes, content with the fact that his father would be home from his mission in a few hours.

Sakura sighed as she finally got her little rebellious child in her bed.

"Good night Mikoto!"

"Hn."

Sakura rolled her eyes and went back into the kitchen where the tower of dirty dishes awaited her. Yes, even kick ass medic-nins must go home and clean their dishes. She filled the sink with water and picked up a plate, dipping it into the soapy abyss and then scrubbing it clean.

Sasuke had left three weeks ago to go to the rock village and assassinate a scummy ninja who was famous for raping young women and slaughtering all in his path. Konoha's Hokage thought it would be just the right job for him.

At the thought of the Hokage, Sakura snorted to herself. Even as Hokage, Naruto was still an idiot. He was an excellent leader and shinobi, she'd give him that, but sometimes she dreaded being called into his office. Often because most of the time, it was to talk to her about nothing so he could procrastinate on signing documents. Though when it was called for, he did give her the most excellent missions to go on.

_Thump!_

Sakura's head snapped up as she stood perfectly still, waiting to see if she would hear the noise again. She could tell if one of her children were up by the sound of their footsteps and the creaks in the floor boards.

Now normally, if one heard a single thump on their wooden floor, they would think it was nothing and just go back to their normal lives.

But if you were a highly trained ninja, a single thump meant only one thing.

Intruder.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she casually wiped her wet hands on the cloth next to her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the feeling of being watched overcame her. She could feel the weight of the floor, telling her someone was in the room with her, and they had a killing intention.

Closer.

Closer.

They were behind her now.

Fortunately for Sakura, there was a frying pan next to her.

She grabbed it and spun to face her attacker, the pan connecting with air. She looked down to where the ninja had ducked and kicked him in the face. He flew backwards a few feet and she got a good look at his headband.

"Rock?!"

He sprung up and darted for her, kunai in hand. Sakura dodged his attack and evaded the plunge of the kunai with the back of the frying pan. She elbowed him in the nose, jammed her heel into his instep and swung her arm back so that the pan connected with the side of his head. Hard.

Maybe she shouldn't have included chakra into that hit. Now there was blood and a dead man on her kitchen pan.

She threw the pan to the floor and opened up the drawer, pulling out a carving knife.

As quietly as she could, she attempted to make it to her children's room before any more enemies came.

She made it half way to the living room before another Rock ninja sprung out at her. He landed a powerful back kick into her ribcage and she flew back, feeling a rib or two crack.

Her back hit the wall with a thud and she coughed as some blood stained her lips. Sakura got back up to her feet and ran at him, clocking him in the jaw. He grabbed her wrist and pressed up, she felt it snap as warm chakra snaked around the bones, pulling hard. She gritted her teeth and head butted him, smiling at the sound of his neck flying back.

Sakura spun the carving knife into her good hand and jammed it into his stomach, twisting as it went in.

His eyes widened and he grunted, staring at her.

"You picked the wrong house." She spat into his face.

He fell over and she dropped the knife, pulling her injured wrist to her chest and grabbing it with her other hand, flowing her chakra into it and trying to right the snapped bones. Her ribs could wait a little longer; right now she just needed to get her kids out of her house.

"Mama?"

She looked up at Shuichi as he stared at the dead man staining their hallway and then back at Sakura.

"Mama, what's going on?"

"Shuichi. Get your sister, and go to the Hokage. Tell him Rock ninja came to our house. Go! Tell him now!"

The little boy ran across the hall into his sister's room as Sakura sighed, spitting more blood out of her mouth as she felt her wrist mending itself. It wouldn't be fully healed until five minutes later, at most.

"MAMA!"

Sakura didn't even have to think about moving her feet, before her brain could even process anything, she was already in front of her daughter's door, meeting her son's frantic gaze.

"Mikoto isn't in her bed!"

Her green orbs snapped up and looked over the empty bed, her eyes searching all over the room.

"FUCK! GO TO THE HOKAGE NOW!"

Shuichi's insides tightened a bit. He had never seen his mother like this.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get your sister back!"

He watched as she disappeared before his eyes, and he heard the front door slam open.

Shuichi's breath caught in his throat as he looked down the hall to the dead man. His Mother killed a man. He saw her do it. Now the men that attacked his Mother, had his baby sister.

His eyes narrowed.

They have his baby sister.

Something in Shuichi's blood boiled and he growled before taking the same path that his mother took, running out the front door as fast as his legs could carry him.

Needless to say, it was hard to get into the Hokage's office. So it was quite a surprise to Sasuke, Neji, Sai, and Naruto when a mini-Sasuke barged into the door with two ninja trying to hold him back.

"Let go of me you idiots! I need to talk to him NOW!"

"Shuichi?"

The boy looked up at saw his father standing before him with confusion in his eyes.

"DADDY!"

The ninja let go of him and he stumbled into Sasuke's waist, trying to catch his breath.

"Ninja. Rock. Broke into the house."

Sasuke's gaze narrowed as he grabbed his son's shoulders roughly. "Where is your mother and sister?!"

Shuichi looked at him. "They took Mikoto. Mama went after them."

The look that appeared on his father's face was something that would make even the strongest ninja piss themselves.

Naruto looked to the ninja that had tried to stop Shuichi from coming in.

"Gather squads of four, search the village and find out if there are any more. Neji, Sai, you two go with Sasuke to try and meet up with Sakura and get Mikoto back to the village!"

Shuichi looked up at his 'uncle' in anger. "What about me?! What do I do?"

"You um…you…"

Shuichi snarled and strode up to Naruto's desk and slammed his fist down on it so a little dent appeared.

"Listen you! They have my sister! If you think that I'm just going to sit here and do nothing then you're frigging insane!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and smiled softly. "Yeah, you're right. Okay then, you're with me. I have a special job for you."

Shuichi nodded then looked up at his father.

"Mama might be hurt. They broke her wrist. There's a dead guy on our floor."

Sasuke nodded and looked at Neji and Sai, nodding at them before each of them disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"So," he stared down Naruto. "What's your job for me?"

Sasuke was pissed.

He was more than pissed.

He was uber pissed.

So they kill the psycho Rock ninja, and more of them come to avenge him?

What bullshit!

Sasuke swore, if they harmed his daughter, if he saw so much as one red mark on her, then he would personally make certain that their deaths were slow and painful.

"Uchiha!"

His head snapped to Neji, whom had his Byakugan activated.

"Sakura is about a mile ahead of us, she's still chasing them, and if we speed up then we can catch her."

Sasuke nodded and put more power and chakra into his legs, the tree branch he landed on sprung with his leap.

After a few minutes of seething thoughts, he saw his wife thirty feet ahead of them and called out to her.

She turned her head to them and slowed her pace so that she matched theirs.

"Shuichi found you?"

"Hn."

Sakura looked ahead, and Sasuke looked her over.

He saw everything, from the red mark on her wrist, to the dried blood that was on her mouth. What he saw most was the fear, anger, and guilt in her eyes.

"If they hurt her, I swear-"

"I will send them all to hell." Sasuke finished.

Sakura met his eyes and it filled her with strength. She nodded to him once, and sped up their pace.

After about an hour and a half, Neji signaled for them all to stop.

"I see them. They've stopped to rest about two miles up. Mikoto is with them. She doesn't look like she's been hurt. She does look very angry though."

"Well, she does take after her father." Sakura mused.

"We can catch them now. We just need a good plan." Sai murmured.

"Surprising them and killing them all sounds good to me." Sasuke hissed out, his gaze falling over Neji.

"Okay, we surround them, give them no escape. There were only three of them."

The group nodded in agreement and then took off.

"Man, you take the girl when we start up again!"

"Why me?"

"Because she keeps kicking and biting me!"

"You can't handle a simple child?"

"She's aggressive!"

The two ninja looked over at the small girl who was now kicking their teammate in the shin and spitting in his face.

"You just need to take force with her!"

The tallest of them, with the lightest hair went up to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her to meet his face.

"Listen brat! If you don't behave then I'm going to be forced to not be pretty."

Mikoto looked him over once, and then cringed. "If this is you being pretty, then you must be really really ugly."

The ninja raised his hand to her, and snapped it down so he struck her across the cheek.

Mikoto's head snapped to the side and then she looked back at him, grinning.

"You really shouldn't have done that."

"Oh? Enlighten me?"

"When I tell my father and mother that you hit me, they won't be nice to you."

"I'm so scared." The light haired ninja snorted.

"You should be." She giggled. "Do you even know who my parents are?"

"I don't care."

"Fine. Then have fun when Uchiha Sasuke comes to rip your arms off."

The short ninja next to him paled, and looked to the light haired one, who Mikoto had nicknamed "Whitey".

"You…you didn't say that it was Uchiha's kid!"

Whitey snarled at him. "It doesn't matter!"

Mikoto rolled her eyes and Shorty and Whitey argued. She looked over at the ninja she had spat on, who she had given the name 'Fugly.'

She didn't know what "Fugly" meant, but she heard her Mama say it when she saw something that looked really nasty, so she thought it fit the ninja.

Mikoto sighed and looked up to the trees, feeling the wind blow her hair and pajama bottoms slightly. Then something caught her eye, a figure in the trees. She couldn't make out whom it was, but then the figure's eyes opened and she saw red with swirling black comas.

Her stomach leaped with happiness and she contained the smile on her face. Her eyes turned to the side, and she saw another figure with bright white eyes. She bit her lip. So Neji-san had come to save her too. That was good!

"Unh!"

Her head snapped back to Fugly, and saw him lying on the ground with six kunai lodged in his blood soaked back.

"Fuck!" Whitey looked around the forest, trying to find out where the attack came from.

Mikoto saw her father jump down from the trees and slam his elbow on the crown of Shorty's head. The Rock ninja fell to his knees, in which her father grabbed his head in his hands and with a jerk of his arms, snapped his neck.

Sakura appeared from the area where the kunai had been thrown, and Mikoto smiled at her.

"Mama!"

"Hey you!"

Sasuke looked over at her, a fierce glint in his eyes once he saw the red mark on her face.

"Mikoto."

She pointed a small finger at Whitey. "He hit me."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he set his sights on the Rock Ninja.

"Did he?"

Sakura grabbed her daughter, hoisting her up into her arms before jumping into the trees, meeting Neji and Sai.

"Let's go. Sasuke will take care of him."

They both nodded at her, and as they left, Mikoto heard the ninja's screams.

When they arrived at the Hokage's office, Mikoto ran to her brother and hugged him around the waist. The boy didn't contain the relief in his eyes, and patted her on her head as she clung to him.

Sakura looked up at Naruto, a frown on her face.

"Were there any more?"

"A few, we took care of it. One of them got into Neji's house, but erm…Tenten went rather overboard."

Sakura smirked and looked down at her son. "Are you alright?"

Shuichi nodded, though his face seemed a little white. Naruto pulled her off to the side.

"Shuichi had his first kill tonight." He whispered.

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked down at her son. He was smiling softly at his sister's story, giving a quiet "really?" when the moment called for it.

"One of the ninja…almost got Neji's baby. Shuichi stumbled into the room, saw what was going on, and threw a kunai. He was lucky it hit a vital organ."

Sakura nodded at Naruto, and smiled softly, patting his shoulder before going to her son.

"Shuichi."

He looked up at his Mother, and she held him tightly in her arms, stroking his hair as she whispered in his ear.

"You did a good job tonight, son. I'm proud of you."

She felt him nod his head against her shoulder.

"Daddy!"

Sakura and Shuichi looked up and saw Sasuke in the doorway of the office, with slightly more blood on his clothes than Sakura thought necessary. The man smirked at his daughter, and lifted her up when she ran into his arms.

Mikoto laid her head on her father's shoulder and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.

"Welcome home."

Sasuke patted her back and looked over at his son.

"Shuichi?"

The boy met his eyes and stood up a little straighter, his head held a little higher.

"I um…I got the highest score on my combat exam today."

Sasuke nodded at him. "Good job."

Mikoto lifted her head up. "Oh yeah! I had my first day in the academy today!"

Sakura sighed and took her son's hand, walking over to Sasuke. "Okay, okay, you both can tell Daddy about your days on the way home. It is far, far, FAR past time for you both to be up."

Naruto watched the family of four leave his office and smiled.

"I can tell Daddy that I beat up that one kid right?!"

"You really shouldn't be proud of that, Mikoto."

"But he made fun of Mama!"

"Yes, well, he's Aunt Ino's son, of course he was going to."

"I don't care! He shouldn't make fun of my family if he wants all his teeth!"

"Sasuke, do you see what you're teaching your daughter?"

"Why are you blaming it on me?"

"Because your solution to everything is to beat the crap out of it."

"Most of the time that works."

Out of all the families in Konoha…

The Uchiha's were the most dysfunctional.

AN:

Oh my gosh, may I just say that I am so so so incredibly sorry for this being so late. I just, got writers block, and I tried to force stuff out, but it all was crap. Then I saw "Live Free or Die Hard" and this kind of came to me. Oh yeah, and last chapter…ever do that thing where you say something out loud, and you write it down by accident. I did that. With the "coach roach" yeah. Supposed to be "Cockroach". It will be replaced, Don't worry.

Reviews:

**Peppermint746:** Thank you! I actually based the conversation between Sakura and Naruto on one that I had with my best friend. Me and him are kind of like Naruto and Sakura in a sense.

**Mimi The Witch:** Thank you so much! Yeah, I think that Naruto and Sakura are very awesome friends.

**SasukeandNejicuties:** Thanks a lot for reading it! Yeah, the way Naruto always looks out for her is very big brother-ish.

**Arcaina:** I love it when you leave me long reviews and tell me what you liked about the chapter. LOL! It makes me giggle! I agree, I think that Naruto held such foundation in Sakura's life, that there really isn't anywhere their relationship can go, but deepening their friendship.

**Fightinsurfgrl: **Dude, if I found a roach in my room, I would be on my bed crying for my dad or brother to come and get it out. Either that or like…throw darts at it. I hate bugs.

**C.A.M.E.O. 1 and only: **Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have three very good guy friends that are often the foundation to Sakura, Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi's conversations.

**Keyhole-Guardain: **Hey, I actually have a song on CD of Sasuke singing, and his voice is like wow-amazing. But yeah, rapping would be hella weird. And OH MY GOSH! Lol, thank you for saying that you liked Caught on Fire, I put a lot of thought into that story, and totally didn't expect it to be as long as it was. It was one of those things where, I just didn't really think of what to write, it just kind of happened.

**ClevelandtoCharlotte:** Hopefully this makes up for the missing Sasu/Saku moments. Next One shot, I promise will be soooo full of Sasu/Saku.

**Reader713:** If I had continued it, that's most likely what would have happened. Lol


	16. Cut

Title: Cut  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: T  
Summery: "Teams let each other in and tell each other things. Teams act like a family. We were never family."  
Author's Note: I am so so so so incredibly sorry for being so late.  
Soundtrack: Whispers in the Dark-Skillet  
Pairings: None, friendship story.  
Disclaimer: (insert witty, 'I don't own it' pun here)

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"**FINE!"**

Kakashi winced as the sound of three doors slamming rang in his ears. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Good grief."

An hour and a half earlier… 

"_You had no right! It was my kill!"_

"_You didn't have a hold on him!"_

"_Didn't have a hold on him?! I had a _strangle hold _on him!"_

"_He would have gotten you down in the end Sakura!"_

_The pink haired girl slammed her foot on the ground and glared at him._

"_You always do that Sasuke! You always think that I'm going to be the one to loose! When will you just open your eyes and see that I am a NINJA!"_

"_Sakura-chan…" The blonde gave her a soft look and moved to go in between them, raising a hand so that he could push his two best friends away from each other if this turned into an all out brawl. Boy what he wouldn't give for his sensei to walk through the door right now. Naruto sent a gentle smile at his old childhood crush and scratched the back of his head nervously._

"_I don't want to gang up on you here…but Teme is right on this one."_

_Sakura gave Naruto an appalled look, her jade eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. Her gaze shifted to the man behind him and saw a familiar smirk of triumph on his face. Her jaw snapped shut and it got several degrees colder in the room._

"_So that's the way it always is, isn't it?" She hissed._

"_What?" Naruto's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"_

"_What I'm talking about," She growled. "Is the lack of TEAM in the three of us."_

_Now his face froze over. "What?"_

_It was at that precise moment that the silver haired, porn reading, face covering sensei that Naruto had hoped for appeared. He looked at his three former students glaring at each other and sighed heavily, thinking that this was another petty argument that happened so often since Sasuke had returned. But when he saw that Sakura's hands were clenched so tightly they started to bleed, the gaze of his seen eye grew serious._

"_What's going on here?"_

_The medic turned her gaze. "Ask _them_."_

_Sasuke sighed, rolling his coal colored eyes before looking at his old sensei. "Sakura is throwing a hissy fit because I helped her kill the assignment."_

"_That's not what this is about anymore, and you know it!" She shook._

_The Uchiha prodigy took a step forward so he was next to Naruto and stared her down, his jaw clenched._

"_Then what is it about, cause you're acting like a spoiled child that got their toy taken away."_

_Sakura lunged and swung her arms out to grasp the older boy's throat, her fingers were inches away from his ivory neck when Kakashi grabbed her around the waist and threw her against the desk that lay by the wall. Sasuke stared on with a bored expression as Naruto stood in shock. Sakura got pissed at them once in a while, sure, but she never tried to physically harm them._

"_Alright, Sakura." Kakashi said in a low voice. "What is it exactly that you have a problem with?"_

"_Them." Her voice shook. "It's always them. That's the way it's always been, even when we were Genin. We were never a team. Teams let each other in and tell each other things. Teams act like a family. We were never family. It was always you as the leader, and then it was Naruto and Sasuke. It was like their own little show that I was never included in. They were always together, always acknowledging each other when they did something right. They were the team. I was the one who stood on the outside looking in because no one ever opened themselves up to me. They never once turned and looked at me and included me in their plans. It was always that way, and it still is."_

_Kakashi's eyes widened slightly as he stared at her, seeing the unshed angry tears in her eyes. Naruto's heart broke in his chest. Had she always felt this way? Why hadn't she ever said anything? She should have known how much she meant to him, he loved her, she was his best friend._

"_Sakura-chan…" He whispered. "I acknowledged you. All the time. Remember all those times I said 'good job Sakura-chan' or 'could you help me with this?' I always knew you were there. You just…I wasn't the one you wanted to hear praise from. So you don't remember any of the times I included you."_

_The pink haired girl's jaw clenched and her fists tightened. The words he spoke stung, because she knew they were true. She was so busy trying to get approval from Sasuke that she missed all the times Naruto was there for her._

"_And you want to talk about being on the outside looking in?" Sasuke mumbled. "How about me now? Ever since I returned to this fucking village I've been excluded. By you and Naruto. Both of you always smile and laugh at each other over the stupidest things. It's annoying. Team Seven reunited? Ha! We broke a long time ago."_

"_AND WHO'S THE ONE TO BLAME FOR THAT?!" Sakura screamed. "BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY ISN'T ME THAT DECIDED TO GO RUN OFF WITH A FUCKING GAY ASS PEDOPHILE SNAKE LOVER!"_

_Sasuke growled lowly in the back of his throat. "Shut up."_

"_NO!" She shook her head violently. "You're the one that left us! You're the one that broke the team! It was all you!"_

"_Right," Sasuke threw his hands in the air. "Okay, it was my fault Sakura, is that what you want to hear so damn bad? It was my fault because I chose to go after the ONE THING I've been craving for since I was eight!"_

_His eyes swirled into their bleeding red as he hissed out words so venomous that they chilled even Naruto._

"_I'm not going to apologize for leaving this idiotic following and ruining your perfect little fantasy. This is life, little girl, and it's time for you to grow up."_

"_Idiotic following?" _

_Three heads turned to the Hokage-wannabe. _

"_Is that all this is to you, you son of a bitch? Just a waste of your time? Sakura and I…we're just a waste of your time? We're idiots right? That's what you meant? So it was a bad thing for us to bust our asses for four years to bring you back home? It was idiotic of us to want to have our friend back? FUCK YOU UCHIHA!"_

_Sakura jumped a little at the volume of his voice. Naruto had angry tears in his eyes too. She moved towards him and extended an arm, trying to comfort the young man. But for the first time in all the years she's known him, Naruto pushed her away. He slapped her arm down and stepped away from her, his entire body shaking._

"_This…us…is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I thought you found your family again in us, Teme. But I guess I was wrong. I guess you lied when you said you thought of me as a brother."_

_Sasuke shifted uncomfortably on his feet and rolled his eyes._

"_Quit making a big deal out of it."_

"_Shut up!" Sakura snapped. "It IS a big deal! So sorry that you seem to be too apathetic to care about us. God Sasuke, even SAI lets us know that he cares and he really WAS apathetic."_

"_Oh yes, let's bring up the great Sai and how he solves everyone's troubles now. If you like hanging around that jackoff so much why don't I just leave and he can change HIS name to Sasuke, and take my place. He seems to be doing a good job of that."_

"_Are you kidding me?" Sakura laughed coldly. "You're jealous of SAI?"_

"_Whoever said I was jealous?"_

"_Doesn't really need to be said when you read between the lines of THAT sentence."_

_Sasuke smirked coldly at her. "You know what, I had started to think that you weren't as annoying anymore, but I was wrong. You've just showed me tonight that you are exactly the childish, annoying, stuck up, weak girl I left on the bench."_

_Sakura shook her head slowly as his words hung in the air. That was hitting below the belt, and he knew it. Maybe later he'd feel bad for lying to her, but right now he didn't really give a rat's ass._

"_So that's it, huh? That's what you really think?"_

"_Yep."_

"_That's how you really feel?"_

"_Really is."_

_Sakura nodded and bit her lip._

"_Okay then."_

_She turned and made her way towards her room._

"_Sakura," Kakashi called. "Where are you going?"_

"_To my room, where does it look like?"_

"_That's it? You're just leaving without resolving this?"_

_Sakura turned, her cheeks flushed and her body trembling._

"_I am resolving it sensei. When we get out of this damn Snow Country and back to Konoha, I'm going to tell Shishou that I will only take missions that don't involve Naruto or Sasuke."_

_Naruto's jaw dropped. "What?"_

"_Yeah," She nodded. "This is it. You two want to be buddy buddy so damn bad, I'm going to stay out of your way." Her gaze turned to Sasuke. "You think I'm such a menace, well you got your wish Sasuke. I promise, it'll be as if you never knew me. I'll never talk to you again."_

"_Sakura-chan wait!"_

"_No, Naruto. For once in my life I feel good about this. This is how things should be. He wants to break the bonds of our team completely, well consider them cut."_

"_Fine!" Sasuke brushed past her, banging his shoulder against hers as he moved to his room._

"_FINE!" Sakura called after him, turning to her own doorway._

"_**FINE!"**_

_Naruto stormed to his own room as three doors slammed._

A/N: Oh my Gosh, I realize how late this is, I am so sorry. Real life caught up with me and a lot of things happened in the drama department. So here it is. This is a two part short story, so the next chapter will be the continuation of this one. I know I said that this chapter would be full of Sasu/Saku but…this little guy was sitting in my brain like a tumor and really just wanted to be written, so I had to give him his chance.

**Terrier Z: **Thank you so much! It's really good to hear that I got the characters in character somewhat. I try as hard as I can to, and they waver a bit sometimes. Hopefully not too much though.

**Moonpi8:** Yeah, I liked the thought of Sasuke's daughter having his personality and their son being more like Sakura.

**Fightinsurfgrl: **Yeah, I always thought it was rolli polie. But that's just me and my crazy names for things. And most of the time when Sasuke hits stuff, it tends to work. He's like Fanzie in that sense.

**Mimi The Witch:** Thanks a lot! Lol, yeah Sasuke's little girl is kind of a sadist like Daddy.

**Arcaina:** Nah, this isn't the end of it. I've got a few more one-shot ideas up my sleeve. I'm thinking the story will be around 20-22 chapters long. Yeah, when you've got Sasuke and Sakura as your Mom and Dad, things tend to get violent around the house. When they fight it probably turns into a giant makeout session. So their kids would be the type to roll their eyes and say 'holy cow get a room you freaks."


	17. Heal

Title: Heal  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: T  
Summery: Then maybe the Sasuke and Naruto show could have been the Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura show.  
Author's Note: Eh, what the hell, why not update now?  
Soundtrack: Breathe into me-Red, Breathe Me-Sia, Hysteria-Muse, and Vindicated-Dashboard Confessional  
Pairings: None, friendship story.  
Disclaimer: (insert witty, 'I don't own it' pun here)

As soon as Sasuke slammed his door shut, we went straight to the wall next to his closet, and slammed his fist through it.

He pulled out his, now bleeding, hand and shook off the plaster and wood.

If this were a normal day, he would have gone into the living room of their suite and shown his hand to Sakura in a silent request for her to fix it. She would have shook her head and called him an idiot, but taken him to sit in the light of the kitchen as she worked.

At even the slightest thought of her, Sasuke grimaced and wanted to hit something again. Normally it made him feel better. Got an issue? Hit it. Problem solved.

He sighed and crossed the room to his bed, falling onto his and hissing as his broken hand hit the pillow. He lifted it up, as if he was reaching for the fan on the ceiling, and stared at it. The blood coated his knuckles around the broken skin, and a few drops slid down and splattered against his cheek.

What the hell was Sakura thinking? Saying that she would leave them? She wasn't the one that gave up, that wasn't like her. She always pushed forward, that's what she's done for as long as he's known her. He would never admit it, but it was an admirable quality in the young woman.

And she said he was jealous of Sai?! Ha! Right! Yeah, he was jealous of the creepy artist who was obsessed with Naruto's nether regions for some crazy reason.

…

Though Sasuke had to admit, when he saw Sai standing with them four years ago at the Sound base…when he saw that he seemed to just _fit_ between Naruto and Sakura. Looking bored, yet determined to get Sasuke back in the fold. It angered him more than he thought it would. How dare the little punk just think that he could come and trot all over his territory! Calling Sakura "hag" and Naruto "dickless"! That was Sasuke's job. Sasuke was the one that ignored and put down Sakura. Sasuke was the one that insulted Naruto, yet still remained friends with him. It really did bother him more than he liked that Sai was even there. He felt more out of place when Sai was around.

Two weeks ago he passed the Ichiraku ramen shop and saw the three of them laughing with each other, smiling, goofing off as if Sai was always in the picture. As if Sasuke had never even been around. He didn't think that they noticed him, and he didn't feel like going through the awkward situation of just walking in there and making his presence known, so he went back to his house.

Lately, Sasuke felt like a third wheel. Or more of a fourth wheel he supposed.

It wasn't even like he could talk to Kakashi about it.

Admitting that he even was upset over being replaced was showing weakness, and if there was anything that Uchiha Sasuke was it was most definitely NOT weak.

But still…it seemed like everything had changed when he was gone, and everyone had grown into people that were admirable…but Sasuke remained the same.

It was as if he was being left behind.

Maybe Sakura was right and it was his entire fault.

No! That couldn't be true. They knew from the beginning that his only goal was to go after Itachi. He said it the day that they became a team. They knew all along. It was stupid of them to think that he would have been any different. That they would have had an affect on him.

…But they did.

Sasuke clenched his fist as it fell back on the bed at his side.

They did have an affect on him. If they didn't…he would have stayed gone. He would have killed Naruto all those years ago. He would never have tried to protect Sakura. He wouldn't have ever listened to Kakashi.

Naruto was right.

Kakashi was right.

Sakura was right.

And Sasuke was a fool.

He stood up and ran a hand through his hair before he walked back over to his closet and slid open the door.

His room was right next to Sakura's. If he remembered correctly, her bed was leaning against this wall.

Sasuke stepped in the small space and leaned against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the hardwood floor, his ear pressed against the cold plaster.

….He could hear Sakura.

Of course she was crying.

Dammit.

…………..

STUPID!

SASUKE WAS STUPID!

Sakura grabbed her pillow off the bed and held it against her as the sobs racked her body.

She buried her face into the soft cloth and let the tears fall harder.

It was okay behind closed doors. She could be weak behind closed doors.

This was all her fault.

If she had just shut up about the kill, if she had just said "thank you" to Sasuke instead of throwing a fit over it, then none of this would have happened. They could all be on their way home right now laughing about something.

Why does she always have to get angry over everything? Why can't she ever just take things as they are? Accept them for what they are?

So Sasuke didn't see her any differently, who cares?

It's not like he would magically wake up one morning and stop being an asshole.

But it hurt…when he said that she hadn't changed. But why should it hurt? It didn't matter if he thought she was the same, because she knew that she was different, and that's all that mattered.

Even if a part of her still wanted his approval.

God she was stupid. He was right she hadn't changed at all.

Oh, and poor Naruto! The look on his face when she spouted off was so painful. How could she be so stupid? How could she not have seen what was there all along? Naruto was always there for her, always smiling, and even when she had treated him like crap he was still there waiting for her. Applauding her, protecting her, comforting her, promising her things that she always wanted, saying all the words that she wanted most to hear.

She had taken his friendship for granted.

She had taken everyone for granted. She was wrong; this wasn't Sasuke's fault. This was her fault.

She was so angry at Naruto and Sasuke's little club, that she never even thought that there was a chance that they would let her into it. But maybe they would have. Maybe if she had just stopped being so obsessed with her hair, or her clothes, or how she looked, or what Sasuke thought of her…maybe things would have been better. Maybe they would have been a team.

She saw how Hinata was with Kiba and Shino.

She saw how TenTen was with Neji and Lee.

Hell, she even saw how Ino was with Shikamaru and Chouji.

All of them had a bond, an understanding of each other.

All of them were a team.

If Sakura had just dedicated more time to training, to getting stronger, and stop flaunting around Sasuke maybe she could have been a team with them. Maybe Sasuke would have taken her seriously, and then the boys would have looked at her, really looked at her, and included her into their circle.

Then maybe the Sasuke and Naruto show could have been the Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura show.

She was so stupid; she was such a stupid girl.

And UGH the things she said! How could she have said that she was going to leave them? She didn't want to leave them! She loved them!

Sakura let her head fall back against the wall.

She heard Sasuke hit something earlier. What if he was hurt? Lord knows the idiot won't bandage himself up; he's too macho for that. He'd never admit that he's actually in pain.

Sakura tilted her head so that her ear was pressed against the wall.

Perhaps if she went and spoke to them, to all of them, like an adult…then she could change the way things would be.

Dammit.

…………

Naruto held his head in his hands, his fingers sliding through the locks of his hair and tugging them in frustration every so often.

Why would she say that?

Why would she leave them?

Why wouldn't Sasuke just shut his mouth?

Why couldn't he do anything to stop it?

It's always like this, Naruto can tell total strangers to shut the hell up and deal with their issues, but he can't seem to stand up to the two people who he loves most.

_But why should you? _A part of him asked. _If you recall, Sasuke said he never thought of you as family, and apparently Sakura thinks nothing of you too since she's so willing to leave._

"But she didn't mean it." Naruto whispered to himself. "She couldn't have."

But what if she did? She sounded pretty sure of herself. Like she couldn't wait to give the word to Tsunade that she hated you two. She always hated you when you guys were younger. Your opinion still doesn't matter to her. All she cares about is Sasuke.

He's the reason that she is leaving. He's the reason that she's pissed off. Sasuke was the one who said those hurtful words in the first place.

Brother indeed.

"Shut up." Naruto shook his head.

This was the way things happen sometimes, he reminded himself. People get really angry when they hand out with each other for too long, problems are bound to arise. That's what Sakura-chan said. When you get angry with someone, or something like this happens, it's because you spend so much time with each other.

They were all just saying things that they never meant.

Right?

Oh he was such a fool.

If he had just stopped it, if he had just told Sasuke to shut up, or told Sakura to calm down then maybe they would be together right now.

Why hadn't he said anything?

Why didn't he stop her from going into her room?

Naruto let go of his head and laid down on his bed, he felt so drained. Emotionally, and physically tired. He knew that he should go and drag his two friends out of their caves and force them to talk, but he was scared to. What if what they said was true?

His eyes slid shut as the bed and sheets engulfed him, telling him to rest his head and thoughts for a while. To give himself a break and sleep until he gathered his courage and faced them.

He would change this.

He would make things better.

They were going to smile again, dammit.

……………………………

Hours later, when Sasuke went into the kitchen, he had not expected to see Sakura standing in front of the counter in her pajamas.

He bit his lip and turned to go back into his room when her voice called out to him.

"I'm making coffee."

He turned his head halfway to stare at her. She was still looking at the coffee maker, a tired expression on her face. He noticed how pale her face was, noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the tearstains on her cheeks. Finally, she turned her head to look straight at him, and gave a weak smile.

"Do you want a cup?"

Sasuke didn't say anything, but he went to the table and sat down.

Sakura smiled a little more until her eyes traveled to the hand sitting on his leg.

"Oh my God! Sasuke what did you do?!"

His eyes drifted down to the dried blood and he shrugged. He heard Sakura open a drawer and saw a white towel in her hands out of the corner of his eye. She moved to the sink and wet the cloth before going to stand in front of him.

"Leave it Sakura. It's fine."

"Oh shut up. I'm a medic; I can't see something bleeding and just leave it alone, and you

know that."

She took Sasuke's hand in hers and began to dab at the flakes of blood, gently wiping it all away until you could see where the scrape began, and the tender pink flesh surrounding them.

Sakura put the rag aside as she brushed her fingers over the ripped skin, the tips of them glowing green. Sasuke watched as her touch made the wound disappear.

Sakura dropped his hand and went back to leaning against the counter, watching the coffee pot.

"Oh…so both of you are up too, then?"

They turned their heads as Naruto stood in the entryway, leaning against the arch of the wall.

Let the awkward silence commence.

For about five minutes neither of them said anything. Sasuke was too busy staring at his hand, Sakura at the glass of the coffee pot, and Naruto at the wall across from him. Finally, the blonde just got fed up with the silence. It was obvious that the other two were so stubborn that they would never talk to each other, and this elephant in the room needed to be spoken of.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry."

Her head snapped over to him, her large eyes seemed so very wounded and innocent in that moment that he felt the urge to hug her.

"I'm so sorry. I should have stopped this thing before we said all that stuff. If I had just said something…"

"No, Naruto." She mumbled, smiling at him gently. "Don't blame yourself for this. These are things that needed to be spoken of. It was obvious that it was killing us, and this is what we really felt. And I'm sorry too. To both of you."

Sasuke looked up at her as she fidgeted nervously under the two boys gaze, she tugged on the bottom of her shirt, a habit that she did whenever she was put on the spot.

"I shouldn't have said the things I did. I just…I feel like there's a wall. A glass wall that separates me from the two of you. Like, I'm so close to touching where the both of you are at, but I'm so very far. I should just accept that you two have a bond that I can't be in on. But that shouldn't change the way we are when we're together."

Naruto walked over to her, and laid a hand on hers. "Sakura-chan, you're…important. To the both of us. You're really important. And you've grown so much. I mean, how many people do you know, besides the old lady, who can break a seventeen-foot brick wall with one punch? I can't do that without the rasengan. You've gotten so strong. And you've saved our lives countless times. You're a hell of a ninja. And to top it off, you're an amazing girl too."

Sakura felt the blush rising on her neck at his words, and turned her hand around to grab onto his. She looked over to Sasuke, and bit her lower lip in thought.

"I'm sorry Sasuke. I know that Itachi is your main goal. He always was. But…I suppose I was still angry over you leaving. I mean, what you said…it hurt. But…but what matters now is that you're back. And I mean…it's not like you haven't tried. I suppose Naruto and I have been a bit different since you came home, and I'm sorry for that. It just feels like ever since you've returned you have been judging us. Being more angry than usual…and Naruto and I spent all that time trying to bring you back."

Naruto nodded. "We haven't replaced you, man. I mean who could? Who would freaking want to? In fact, all those times you said that Sakura and I have been together recently…it's because we talk about you. You're like…the main thing we talk about. We talk about what we should do with you next, and wonder if you still eat tomatoes like an insane man."

Sakura giggled slightly, and let go of Naruto's hand to go stand in front of Sasuke. She kneeled down so that she could look into his face, and her gaze grew soft.

"I like you far more than I could ever like Sai."

"Yeah," Naruto grinned. "I mean, dude's okay and all…but seriously, I do NOT feel comfortable entering a hot spring with him. I mean, it's like he has X-ray vision or something and can see through my towel. Creepy much?"

Sakura smiled, then she noticed the coffee was done. She took out three cups, and poured the dark liquid into them all, not adding anything to Sasuke's, cause he was a freak that liked it without cream or sugar.

"But I do gotta ask," Naruto mumbled. "Did you mean what you said…about the idiotic following? Are we that bad? I mean…do you not think of us as a family at all?"

The pink haired medic eyed the avenger carefully, trying to read the emotions that were passing on his face. Sasuke's mouth tightened slightly, and his eyes shifted for a minute before he shook his head slightly.

"I always mean what I say, dobe." He scoffed, and then stared up at Naruto, looking the boy right in the eye. "Even when I was twelve."

A grin broke out across Naruto's face and he turned to stare at Sakura with that same sunny grin as she handed him his coffee. She smiled back at him, and then handed Sasuke his dark blue cup, and he took it with the same hand she had held.

"Thank you…" His gaze shifted to his knuckles and Sakura nodded.

"No problem." She smiled.

"Tch. Annoying."

Sakura's smile faltered some until she saw him bring the cup to his lips, and the smirk that lay across face. When he looked at her, she could almost read his mind.

How annoying that I have to go to a stupid girl for help.

Sakura nodded and then went back to stand next to Naruto, who had the pensive look upon his face again. She touched his shoulder and raised a brow at him.

"What's on your mind?"

"Sakura-chan…are you still going to leave?"

Sakura sighed and frowned as she stared at the floor. Was she? I mean, things seemed fine with them, but she knew that Naruto and Sasuke were just going to forget about her again.

"She can't." Sasuke's voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"Can't?"

"No. You can't. You're the only medic for our team, stupid. We need you here."

Naruto nodded. "That's right. Can you imagine what it would be like if you weren't here? We would kill each other."

Sakura looked between the two of them, understanding flowing through her head.

"You need me?"

Naruto grinned. "Sure do. You're the only Sakura for us. Accept no substitutes."

She smiled and set her cup down before wrapping her arms around Naruto's neck and pressing her face into his shoulder. She sighed as she felt his arms embrace her, and squeeze slightly.

"Thank you." She muffled against his shirt.

"Love you." He replied.

She pulled away and smiled at him, his face coming out blurry through the unshed tears that coated her eyes. She turned and looked at Sasuke, and he immediately held his hands up.

"I don't do hugs."

"Tough shit." Naruto snorted before the two of them went to the Uchiha and wrapped their arms around him.

"Ugh! Get off me! I swear I'll beat the crap out of you if you don't let go right now!"

Sakura and Naruto laughed as they let him go, and the future Hokage pinched the man's cheek.

"Aww, you like the hugs, admit it."

"…Go find a dark corner and kill yourself."

"Well well," Kakashi stepped into the room and grinned beneath his mask. "What are the three of you doing up?"

"We're drinking coffee, what does it look like?" Sakura smiled.

"Well it looks like I entered a time warp, because last I checked you three were pissed."

"Dude, that's old news." Naruto yawned. "In the past. Now it's coffee time."

"And coffee makes things better?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Sakura laughed. "Coffee makes everything better, duh."

Kakashi looked between the three of them. At Naruto grinning towards the girl with light shining in his eyes, at Sakura leaning her arm against Sasuke's shoulder and smiling at the three of them, and at Sasuke who wasn't pushing Sakura away. Though he was telling Naruto to stop grinning like a retard.

"Shut up Teme!"

"Oh clever comeback."

"I'm kicking your ass in every possible way so that you can finally SEE who's the retard!"

"Well with that stain on your shirt and the fact that coffee is dribbling down your chin, I'm gonna say it's you."

"Hey! This shirt is old! That's the only reason there is a stain on it!"

"Right. Or it could be that you never wash."

"Shut up! I bet I smell better than you right now!"

"Okay, enough boys." Sakura sighed.

"I smell good, right Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto, none of us smell good. We haven't showered in two days."

Kakashi smiled at his three students, and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. It was amazing, nineteen years old and they were all still such children. But you know, Kakashi wouldn't have them any other way, because it meant that he still had things to teach them. But he knew that when they finally did grow up, they would be fine people. And they would probably still be the greatest team that Konoha has ever seen.

But that was just his own personal opinion.

**Arcania:** LOL! Well I'm happy that I updated too! And thank you so much for the long review! I believe when I saw it my exact words were "Holy long review Batman!" But I enjoy them so much. I'm really happy that you liked the chapter so much. I mean, I think when you become as close as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were to each other, then you're bound to have so many insecurities.

**Mimi the Witch:** LOL! Well I take that as a compliment, because it was supposed to make you depressed! So apparently I did my job.

**C.A.M.E.O. 1 and Only:** Do you seriously think I would let the greatest friendship ever known to man sit and break? Nah, no way. And boys are just like that. LOL

**Thank all of you so much for the reviews and sticking by me this far! It means the world to me! And See you next oneshot! OH! And dude, how about Naruto chapter 367?! It's about time that we find out about Naruto's parents, I mean good lord! Did you keep us waiting long enough Kishimoto!**


	18. A Woman's Warmth

Title: A woman's touch  
Author: Kendopunk  
Rating: PG  
Summery: There was something seriously wrong with the idea that Sasuke might have issues of Cosmo under his sink, or flowery shampoo in his bathroom.  
Author's Note: Happy Christmas! Sorry this is so freaking late! Writer's block is the name of the game, and I am a slave to it's craziness.   
Soundtrack: "Here in your arms" by Hello Goodbye and "This Love" by Angela Aki  
Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own it. If I did, this stupid Jiraiya fight would be done by now.

Sasuke had never lived with a woman before. Well there was his mother, but she didn't count. Mothers never really do.

He didn't know what to expect when he asked his girlfriend to move in with him. Would she bring over a bunch of things? What if she made his entire apartment pink? Oh what if he opened up his bathroom cabinet and came face to face with those…those…_things_? There was something seriously wrong with the idea that Sasuke might have issues of Cosmo under his sink, or flowery shampoo in his bathroom. Oh dear God, his entire apartment would smell like girl. People would walk in and think 'oh, so Uchiha turned gay.' Great. Just Great.

Good-bye masculinity, you shall be sorely missed.

But it surprised him actually, when he opened the door to see Sakura standing there with a bag over her shoulder and a single box in her arms.

"What's that?" He inquired.

The medic shifted a little, attempting to get a good grasp on it before answering.

"My things."

A dark eyebrow quirked up. "That's it?"

Sakura sighed. "Well, Tenten was thinking of getting a new place, so I just kind of told her she could have mine. I mean, it's all furnished and stuff. So I just grabbed the essentials. And if I need anything else I can go back or I can get it at the market place, and Sasuke this box actually is pretty heavy so can I come in?"

Why did she have to ask? It was her home now too.

God he would never get used to thinking that.

Uchiha Sasuke did not share well.

He stepped aside and let her pass by him, and as he closed the door he wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into.

Within a month, his subconscious question was answered, and he was finding out lots of new things about females. Or, at least, about Sakura anyway.

He never knew that she was so involved in her work. Half of his bookcase was a shrine to Sakura. Several medical tomes sat on one shelf, almost weighing it down. There would always be a spot where one book was missing, because she would read one every night. Sasuke would come home nearly every night and find her asleep at the desk, her pink hair all disarray over the large books in front of her. A pen or highlighter would be leaning in her slack grip, and he was pretty sure that some of the pages were wet with drool. It had become a regular job of his to lift her into his arms and lay her in the bed.

He learned to never disturb Sakura when she was into her books. You would either get bitched at or socked in the face. It didn't even matter what book it was, whether it was one of the big ones, or a little book that Ino had loaned her. Sakura's inner world revolved around what she read and how the reading affected her life.

Sasuke found that he actually liked watching her read. Her brow would furrow sometimes in concentration and occasionally her teeth would scrape against her bottom lip in thought. She would look up sometimes, her emerald orbs in strict hardness as she calculated something in her mind.

His girlfriend really was quite the scholar.

Sasuke never knew that Sakura liked to bake. More than once he came home to the smell of fresh cookies, or cake, or pie. He didn't have a sweet tooth, and when he told her so once, she scoffed at him.

"What the hell makes you think they're for you?"

After that statement she shoved a cookie in her mouth and winked at him.

After that statement she broke his nose because he told her if she kept eating sugary crap then she would get fat.

Ah, love.

But the thing that surprised this man most of all, was that Sakura danced. She would clean the apartment, dancing from room to room. Each room had a song apparently, because she would dance differently when she was in a certain area. When she was in the kitchen, he knew it was the 'rock' room. He could hear the heavy bass and guitar rifts blare from the headphones she wore as she swayed her hips and head to the rhythm. She would sing into the mop and then spin and jump and well…he didn't really even know if it could be considered dancing.  
In the bathroom it was more upbeat, popish sounding. Happy music, though why the bathroom would be considered a happy area, he had no idea…well except for that one time he backed her against the wall and-…but that's a story for a different time. She would bounce as she washed the mirrors and bathtub, and sing very loudly, sometimes off key even. But he never said anything about it, it wasn't like he was a great singer either.  
Bedroom was a soft music, something that she gently swayed to with her eyes closed and a soft smile on her face. She would make the bed and hum quietly, or carry the laundry out and whistle.

Sakura loved to dance.

But all the while that she lived with him; he was also finding out new things that he didn't know about himself.

He doesn't like sweets…but he'll eat Sakura's chocolate chip cookies.

He doesn't really mind the floral smell in the bathroom when he walks into it.

He likes waking up in the morning to find someone lying next to him.

He thought she was utterly adorable when she danced in the kitchen.

He liked…_loved _that when he walked through the door with a sigh of "I'm home" someone was there to smile and reply, "Welcome home."

The feeling that had come the first time he heard her say it was odd. He was surprised to get a reply, even more surprised to have her say that dinner would be in at six so he should go and get ready.

Uchiha Sasuke was not an affectionate man. He wasn't emotional; he knew that he didn't treat Sakura how she deserved to be treated sometimes. But, he would do his best to get his feelings across in the only ways he knew how.

A nod of thanks when she cooked.

A brush of his lips against her forehead when he left.

A small smile when she helped him train, it really was so much fun to fight her.

But what he thought gave her the most knowledge of his feelings, was when he would be the one to greet her with a nod, and a brush of fingers against hers as he walked by.

"Welcome Home, Sakura."

She smiles brightly, and for the first time in twelve years his home is filled with warmth.

A/N: Oh I am so so sorry for the wait. Just…life is getting in the way, applying for colleges, and massive writers block. But I managed to churn this one out. It's not as long as I would hope or want it to be, but this is it. This is also going to be the second to last chapter. That's right, next chapter is going to be the last, so I'll try to make it good. Maybe some smut. Maybe some fluff. Maybe some violence. You never can tell with these guys. I want to get started on my full length Naruto story. So look for that up in a month or too. On a side note, who is sick of the Jiraiya fight in the manga? Holy crap, someone just…die officially now, please! At least we get to see Naruto's Mom. I now have a face to put with one of my favorite pairings! Of course, as it were, I don't have enough time to answer a lot of reviews, but I read each and every one and I love all of them! Thank you all so much for the support. I'll try and get a few down here.

**C.A.M.E.O1 and only**: Yes, Sakura does have a good heart, she's a really good friend to those stupid boys, and she tries her hardest to not punch them through a roof most of the time.

**Fightnsurfgrl**: Yeah, I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner if I can. Consider this a Christmas present.

**RLO**: Well, they won't always act like kids. Someday they'll have kids to teach and then all hell will break loose.

**Arcaina:** Best friends do stick together. Just ask mine, if something bothering one of us we don't sleep until it stops bothering them. If there's a problem it NEEDS to be spoken of. I think Kushina didn't take Minato's name because…well she's from a different village of course, but also Uzumaki is just so cool. Maybe Kushina died in the Kyuubi attack, or on a mission. I have a theory. I wanna see the Itachi/Sasuke fight really bad. But ugh, stupid Jiraiya…his fight is taking over. And coffee DOES fix everything.


End file.
